By: debbie lynn elias
Based on the enchanting novella by Ben Rice entitled “Pobby & Dingan”, OPAL DREAM is a very sweet, simple family film. No frills. No special effects. Just a sweet story. And just what is the story of OPAL DREAM? Well. . .
The Williamson family lives in the opal mining town of Cooper Pedy, Australia. Known for its incredible pockets of this exquisite gem (90% of all the world’s opals are mined in Australia), Australia is a place that dreams are made of. From Koalas to Ayres Rock to the Aboriginal tribes to Crocodile Dundee, Australia has always held a bit of mystical appeal the world over, but particularly to opal miners. As used to be in the Gold rush and mining days in the United States, home town miners can just claim a patch of land in Australia and start digging for opals. Simple as that. And Rex Williamson is no different than the next guy when it comes to finding his pot of gold at the end of the opal rainbow.
Australian natives, the Williamsons are your typical family. Mom Annie works at the local grocery store keeping a roof over her family’s head and food on the table while Rex follows his opal dream to the point of obsession. Knowing she will always be second to his opal obsession, she devotes herself to her children, Ashmol and Kellyanne. Ashmol is your All-American or All-Australian everyboy. Wanting to be like his dad and like most boys, believing that dad knows everything and can do no wrong, Ashmol does his best to tag along at every opportunity. Unfortunately, Rex can’t see his son for the opal cloud surrounding him which leaves Ashmol to his own boyish delights, friends and ultimately, responsibility and love for his younger sister Kellyanne. Blonde and bubbly and with enough exuberance, joy and optimism to fill the Australian Outback, Kellyanne is a delight but for one small thing. A loner but content with herself, Kellyanne’s only playmates being her imaginary friends, Pobby and Dingan. With the same unwavering conviction and obsessiveness of her father, Kellyanne’s belief in Pobby and Dingan is unquenchable. From swinging on swings to playing house and having tea parties, not to mention having places set for them at the table by her mother, Pobby and Dingan are as real as real can be to Kellyanne. Why they even have their own favorite flavors of lollipops and Pobby has a wooden leg and Dignan an opal bellybutton in the shape of a star. Unfortunately, most of the residents of Coober Pedy don’t share Kellyanne’s belief in her friends, nor does her own father. Which of course makes things a little difficult for Ashmol.
Attempting to break Kellyanne of her obsession with Pobby and Dingan, Rex decides to embrace her fanciful dream and spend the day with them while she goes to a Boxing Day party with some real children. Unfortunately, Rex loses Pobby and Dingan out near his mining claim and returns home without them. Heartbroken and insistent on finding her friends, there will be no peace until Rex returns to the mine to hunt for Pobby and Dingan. Unfortunately for Rex, he is spotted by one of the more ruffian miners who accuses him of trespassing on the mines of others and of being a “ratter.” Arrested and facing formal charges before the Magistrate, life for the Williamsons takes a dramatic turn downward as Annie is fired from her job because of the accusations against Rex, the town turns on the entire family and Kellyanne suffers from a mysterious illness that seems to stem from the missing Pobby and Dingan.
With all dreams seemingly dashed for both Rex and Kellyanne, life turns to Ashmol and the power of imagination and love for salvation.
Central to the film, Sapphire Boyce makes her debut as Kellyanne. While I realize this was her first role, although cute as a button, she seems too mechanical at times. Also contributing to her shortcomings may be some lingering camera shots that should have been shortened – especially with her incessantly intoning “Pobby” “Dingan” over and over and over. The finest performance, however, comes from Christian Byers. One fine little actor, as Ashmol he runs the gamut of brotherly emotions and has a very expressive face with luminous eyes. His agitation, joy, concern, boyish style, rolling the eyes at his sister’s silliness, is all universally appealing, enjoyable and believable. He is definitely someone to watch and I hope we see more of him. Secondary players to the kids are Vince Colosimo and Jacqueline McKenzie as Rex and Annie. Although convincing, their performances are no real stretch and simply fill in the story.
Adapted by Rice for the screen, the script is well crafted and enjoyable. Considering myself to be a harsh critic when it comes to movies being based on books and having read Ben Rice’s novella on which the film was based, I have to admit that I am generally pleased with the overall screen adaptation. Ripe with the fanciful, key to the charm of the story is the concept and encouragement for imagination and dreams. Anyone who has ever looked at an opal, a good quality opal or an opal triplet, will see layer upon layer of beauteous wonder. Such is this story. Layers of imagination, the power of believing and the power of love. Uplifting, but let’s face it, maudlin at times, the integrity of the story isn’t compromised in the translation to film.
Directed by the man that brought us the wonders of “The Full Monty”, Peter Cattaneo does an admirable job here, although I feel that visually the film falls short of capturing the mystical essence and look conveyed by the book. Enjoyable and effective though is his use of the narrative with Ashmol telling the story as it goes along. The work of cinematographer Robert Humphreys is impressive with establishing the hot, dusty, yet glistening starkness of Cooper Pedy, yet lacks any bursts of color which one would expect with a story as fancied as this one. Real applause goes out to production designer Elizabeth Mary Moore who apparently scoured the town for some exquisite opals that were used in several salient shots.
A film for the whole family to share this holiday season, OPAL DREAM is for the dreamer in us all. Saccharine sweet to the core, the heartfelt story and faith in the power of imagination and love will sparkle like an opal glistening in the Outback sun long after the curtain falls.
Kellyanne: Sapphire Boyce
Ashmol: Christian Byers
Rex Williamson: Vince Colosimo
Annie Williamson: Jacqueline McKenzie
Directed by Peter Cattaneo. Written by Cattaneo and Ben Rice based on the novella “Pobby & Dingan” by Ben Rice. Rated PG. (86 min)
