Holy Smoke | Film | The Guardian

Holy Smoke

Reviews in chronological order (Total 7 reviews)

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  • Submitted on 04/04/2000 17:30

    Holy Smoke deserves its high score from filmunlimited readers. The Campion sisters have written a clever story of how badly a family can bungle their response when their religion of choice is passed over by one of their own in favour of something a little too exotic and scary.

    It has discreet moments of parody for the observant viewer that shows up the shallowness of favouring one faith tradition over another. On the surface it's a hugely funny portrait of a conservative and hypocritical suburban family and their efforts to cling to normality as Kate Winslet's character Ruth begins to branch out. Look below the surface and their are some wry observations about religious bigotry and parental disrespect.

    Jane Campion's direction is as refreshing as always. She gives us the intense, beautiful harshness and vastness of the Australian outback while zooming in on the character's frailties. Ruth is bursting with Kate's innate honesty and Take Me As I Am courage and Harvey Keitel does as you'd expect, delivering a carefully crafted blend of dignity, cunning and raw human truths. This is one of the most powerful partnerships I've seen in a while. Both Kate and Harvey seemed in total control of the intense sexual chemistry they created on screen.

    While Kate's is by far the most accurate Australian accent I've heard from a British actor, watch out for Sophie Lee, a very funny genuine article who I hope we'll see again soon."
    Julia McKiernan

    4 April 2000 5:30PM

  • Submitted on 19/04/2000 14:19

    The Bad Lieutenant dances the Last Tango at Muriel's Wedding , then goes for a Walkabout. Nowhere near as terrible as the reviews would indicate and uses the same bad taste black comedy tone as Jane Campion's early feature Sweetie (and other antipodean directors' work). Like the adaptation of Portrait Of A Lady , constantly tries to break aaway from audience expectations , even at the cost of losing their suspension of disbelief.

    19 April 2000 2:19PM

  • Submitted on 25/04/2000 12:14

    If you have money to spare or are unreasonably obsessed with Neil Diamond go and see the first 10 minutes of this and then leave. The opening scene, set to 'Holy Holy' will send shivers down your spine and set you up for an increasingly disappointing experience.

    The film veers between caricature and an inept treatise on the nature of sexuality and obsession. There is little chemistry between Winslet and Keitel, although Winslet appears to be struggling valiantly, Keitel appears to be asleep. Ruth's (Winslet) family provide slight relief from the tedium that is Keitel trying to 'exit' Ruth from a cult that we only fleetingly glimpse at the beginning of the film. For some inexplicable reason Ruth proves to be a difficult case, which results in Keitel losing his marbles and, again inexplicably, ending up wearing a red dress. Not a pleasant thought.
    Harriet Fisher

    25 April 2000 12:14PM

  • Submitted by jerry on 01/11/2001 04:06

    It seems Australian directors feel a need to produce smartarse weird films featuring lots of outback and/or the most depressing surburbia to be found on the planet, and this is another one to be avoided. The 3 rating is for photography alone.

    11 January 2001 4:06AM

  • Submitted by thedude666 on 03/03/2003 09:14

    Features Kate Winslet, naked, giving hersef a 'golden shower' and yet I yawned, and yawned- need I say more?

    3 March 2003 9:14AM

  • Submitted by Bill on 13/04/2005 17:08

    Dreadful. Winslet, always excellent, works hard but for so little reward. Keitel sleepwalks his part. Some stunning cinematography but there's less here than meets the eye. Avoid like the plague.

    13 April 2005 5:08PM
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