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According to crusty Irish boozer Dave—played with impeccable comic charm by Chris O'Dowd, Kristen Wiig's cop boyfriend in Bridesmaids—country-western
and soul music are both rooted in loss. The difference, Dave says, is
that while country-western stars whine about it, soul singers fight
desperately for redemption. That exuberant sense of resilience takes
center stage in The Sapphires, first-time filmmaker Wayne
Blair's massively entertaining tale about an Australian Aboriginal girl
band that travels to Vietnam to entertain American troops in 1968.
Loosely based on a true story (Blair's mother was a member of the
original group), the film butts up against serious issues, most
prominently racial tension and the trauma of war. But between the
spirited songs, big-hearted story line and hypersaturated
cinematography, this is a film that unapologetically encourages
finger-snapping rather than head-scratching—and bless its spangled heart
for that.
- Playing at: Laurelhurst.
- Best paired with: Hop Valley Alphadelic IPA.
- Also playing: Internet Cat Video Fest (Hollywood).
WWeek 2015
