12 out of 12 people found the following review helpful:

Well Worth Seeing

A Customer from Salisbury, England, 13th July, 2006

This is a pretty unusual film as gay movies go in that it doesn't present any coming out issues, nor does it have anything very profound to say about being gay. Looking for love is pretty universal whether you are gay or straight, young or old, and that message is loud and clear throughout the film. It's a bit dated now - rolled up sleeves and shoulder pads abound and Russell Crowe wouldn't be seen dead wearing those SHORT shorts once the 80s died. It's also relentlessly Aussie - subtlety is not its middle name. The humour is laid on with a trowel and consequently not all that funny. It's light-hearted rather than being outright funny. I was particularly moved by the depiction of an elderly female gay couple - grandma and 'aunty' Mary, a nice, sensitive touch in an otherwise quite in-your-face aussie drama. Russell Crowe is almost too good in this film - too good-looking, too fit, too sexy. It's very hard to believe the central premise that he's 24 and lonely and unable to find a lover because he's too homely. There is some sweet gay action - some kisses and major flirting - but nothing to put the breeders off watching.

Read all highest rated reviews

8 out of 8 people found the following review helpful:

A fantastic Film

A Customer from York, 4th June, 2005

I saw this movie 10 years ago (when it was first released). I would recommend it to anyone. It tells the story of a lad's relationship with his father when he comes out and afterwards. You can feel an empathy, an understanding, of what both the characters are feeling. This film is well worth renting.

Read all highest rated reviews

4 out of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Different... in a good way

StephenG from Belfast, NI, 24th January, 2007

Seeing Russel Crowe playing a gay guy is very enlightening & he does it well! Took a while to get used to the screenplay (actors talking to camera) but it actually helped define the story line. The beginning and middle were weak but a rather emotional end (all be it unfortunate) made up for this. Was fantastic to see a very open father/son relationship. Very easy watching tho could easily have given it a miss!

Read all highest rated reviews

2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Russell Crowe does 'gay' - and very well too!

wikkidsmyle from , 27th April, 2006

I've owned both the American video and now R1 DVD of this film ever since I happened to catch it on TV years ago, and its R2 release is long overdue! This is a gentle Australian comedy/drama with a cracking soundtrack (including well-known Crowded House songs). Russell Crowe plays Jeff, gay son to the ever-excellent Jack Thompson's widower dad, Harry. They are both looking for love and spark off each other along the way. The film was originally a play and it shows (there are a lot of 'asides' to the audience), but don't let that put you off. Russell Crowe is awesome in this film, playing Jeff as a normal guy who just happens to be gay. Rent it - you'll be surprised!

Read all highest rated reviews

Surprisingly good

A Customer from Isle of Skye, Scotland, 11th January, 2010

Fair play to Russell Crowe (a man I never had much regard for) for having taken on a gay role. I expected yet another family-struggles-to-accept-gay-son plot but with a vegemite twist - and it really didn't turn out to be that. The most intelligent and heart-warming aspect is a positive perspective on gay granny's sub-plot - yes, in old-time sepia rufty-tufty Aussieland. Surprisingly good.

Read all recent reviews

Gay down under

Boulbon from , 5th October, 2009

The Sum of Us is an original and quirky gay film set in Sydney. The leading men are Jack Thompson (literally an Australian Living Legend - awarded 2005) and Russell Crowe as his young and rather tubby gay son. The unlikely frankness and openness of their relationship is central to the film. It isn't always convincing but makes for interesting dialogue. One of the quirks of the film is that the actors address the camera directly from time to time. This is fine for the most part but a little strange when the character in the film is a stroke victim without the ability to speak at all. In spite of the fact that the film has a very dated feel to it and that much of the ocker humour is heavy handed and doesn't travel well, Jack Thompson's charm as the Sydney ferry captain who accepts his son's gayness and supports him in his search for Mr Right carries the film. Russell Crowe does gay convincingly.

Read all recent reviews

Average

Randomfilmbuff from , 25th June, 2009

One dimensional characters not great story line. much better in the genre available

Read all recent reviews

The sum of us

bigtig from , 7th June, 2009

Loved this film, very sad in the middle.

Read all recent reviews