''The Sum of Us'' is a 1994 Australian LGBT-related comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Dowling and Geoff Burton. The film is based on the 1990 play of the same name by David Stevens, who also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Russell Crowe and

Jack Thompson Jack Thompson may refer to: Sports * Jack Thompson (footballer, born 1892) (1892–1969), English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Bristol City * Jack Thompson (1920s footballer), English footballer who played for Aston Villa and Brig ...

. The screen adaptation mimics the play's device of breaking the

fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...

with direct to camera conversational asides by both Harry and Jeff Mitchell.

Plot

Widower Harry Mitchell (Thompson) lives with his gay son Jeff (Crowe), with both men struggling in their searches for true love. Harry is completely comfortable with his son's sexuality, and is almost over-eager in his support for his son's search for a boyfriend. Harry meets an attractive but judgmental divorcee through a dating service, and this leads to some conflict between the two main characters. However, when Harry suffers a stroke and loses the power of speech, the story takes a darker turn, becoming a meditation on the enduring strength of love, both familial and romantic, in the face of adversity.

Cast

as Harry Mitchell * Russell Crowe as Jeff Mitchell *

John Polson John Polson (born 6 September 1965) is an Australian actor, director and founder of Tropfest. As an actor, Polson's best known role is probably starring opposite Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson in '' The Sum of Us'' (1994). In February 2001, ...

as Greg * Deborah Kennedy as Joyce Johnson * Joss Moroney as Young Jeff * Mitch Mathews as Gran * Julie Herbert as Mary * Des James as Football Coach * Mick Campbell as Footballer * Donny Muntz as Ferry Captain *

Jan Adele Janeece "Jan" Adele (14 April 1935 – 27 February 2000) was an Australian actress and entertainer active in many fields including circus, vaudeville, theatre, film and television. She was best known for her recurring comedy role of vaudevillia ...

as Barmaid *

Rebekah Elmaloglou Rebekah Sophie Elmaloglou (born 23 January 1974) is an Australian actress, known for her roles as teenage tearaway Sophie Simpson on ''Home and Away'' and Terese Willis on ''Neighbours''. She also made guest appearances in '' E Street'', ''A Co ...

as Jenny Johnson * Lola Nixon as Desiree * Sally Cahill as Greg's Mother *

Bob Baines Robert Alan Baines (born 15 November 1952) is an Australian actor. He has starred in many television shows including '' Water Rats'' and ''Home and Away'' as school principal Martin Bartlett. Filmography * 2015 – ''The Dalfram Dispute 1938 ...

as Greg's Father

Box office

''The Sum of Us'' grossed $3,827,456 at the box office in Australia.

Awards

The film was nominated for Best Film and Stevens' screenplay won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards, while Polson and Kennedy were nominated for best supporting actors, and Frans Vanderburg for editing and the sound team. Other accolades came at the

Montreal World Film Festival The Montreal World Film Festival (WFF; french: le Festival des Films du Monde) was one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF (although the Toronto Interna ...

, and the film was named Best Film at the

Cleveland International Film Festival The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is an annual film festival based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is the largest film festival in Ohio. It was first held in 1977, showing eight films over a period of eight weeks at the Cedar Lee Theatre. ...

References

External links