Film Review - The Rooster
Images courtesy of Bonsai Films.
Just two bros sitting around a campfire. Five feet apart. Because they can’t face reality.
Mark Leonard Winter’s directorial debut The Rooster mixes offbeat comedy and tragedy to tell a new tale about male loneliness, grief, and faith. Set in Glenlyon, the film centres around Police Officer Dan (Phoenix Raei) as his life falls apart after the death of his mentally ill childhood best friend, and the eccentric Hermit (Hugo Weaving) he inadvertently befriends.
Winter sets the bleak tone early, with the film opening up to an image of a man hanging from a tree quickly followed by a naked woman holding a rooster, guaranteed to leave most cinema-goers confused. We then follow Dan after the death of his own rooster becomes the final straw and he pulls what most chronically online people threaten to do: he runs away into the woods. Here he attempts to find answers concerning his friend’s death whilst simultaneously avoiding dealing with his emotions and his self-imposed overwhelming guilt of having failed his friend.
Raei’s performance of a grief-stricken man desperately searching for meaning was simple and sober, relying a lot on his soulful eyes and silence to portray what he was feeling. However, his performance was slightly overshadowed from the moment he came into contact with Weaving’s larger-than-life performance as The Hermit. At times the film was reminiscent of an Australian version of Robert Egger’s The Lighthouse to the point that I had to check this wasn’t an A24 film. Just two lonely men drinking themselves to happiness as the ever-present woods acted as a third party, seemingly fuelling their unravelling.
Ultimately though, the middle act sagged as it felt like just an excuse to see Weaving act as unhinged and evasive as possible, with the odd ‘deep’ conversation thrown in to remind people that this is supposed to be an exploration of loneliness. It often felt like the director was trying to say something deep but wasn’t exactly sure what; instead relying on outlandish actions like urinating on a crucifix for pure shock value. Weaving’s recent interview with the ABC revealed that he signed onto this project to open up conversations around men and mental health. Unfortunately, his character was played up for laughs a few too many times which undermined any sort of revolutionary message. This is a shame given the still ongoing stigma that prevents many men from reaching out for help and instead leads them to engage in maladaptive coping mechanisms like the Hermit’s own struggle with alcoholism. Ironic isn’t it? The third act was strong but disappointingly short, so the twist didn’t have enough time to actually leave a mark. Had the pacing been different I’m sure this could have been the film Weaving signed up for.
The Rooster premiered last year at the Melbourne International Film Festival with Hugo Weaving going on to rightfully win best supporting actor at the 2024 AACTA’s. So if you enjoy Hugo Weaving going absolutely feral, ominous naked women, and stories about depression then The Rooster is the film for you.
3/5 stars
The Rooster is screening in cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.