Director Tony Ayres begins the Dendy Opera Quays film screening and Q&A session by intimating that the film is about a harder time in his life which has necessarily been fictionalised to a degree. “I will be here to answer any questions you might have at the end of the film”.
With those words left hanging like a wonderful candy treat yet to be consumed I eagerly watched as an actor playing adult Tony, known in the film as “Tom” (pseudonym for director Ayres) types his first few words, marking the introduction of this exploration of the past and the enigma of his mother.
“Absolutely beautiful,” an audience member cried out at the film’s conclusion, echoing the sentiments voiced by other viewers.
This is writer/director Tony Ayres’ second foray into film, his first film being the highly acclaimed Walking on Water (2002). He has also dipped his finger into the world of theatre with his first play, The Fat Boy (Playbox, 2003). This film was an intensely personal project that was five years in the making and touched upon some sensitive memories Ayres has of his mother.
The film takes place in Melbourne of the 1970s where Shanghai nightclub singer, Rose (Joan Chen) ekes out a living by encouraging the attentions of patrons, aka “Uncle” Bill and “Uncle” Joe. Considered as something of an “exotic flower” even amongst the Chinese migrant community (mostly from KanTong and not Shanghai), Rose uses the only weapon available to her – her looks. Rose’s existence is complicated by the fact that she a daughter, May (Irene Chen), and a son, Tom (Joel Lok), who both find it difficult to understand the volatile behaviour of their mother.
There are bonds of love between Rose and children that despite being compromised by Rose’s alcoholism and subsequent melancholy states of depression, survives and flourishes. It is a moving tale, told poignantly from young Tom’s perspective, showing the strength, endurance and irrationality of love; persisting despite the odds stacked against them – constantly being on the move, their dependency on Rose’s patrons, making friends, finding a place to belong.
The acting was simply superb, with Joan Chen as the complex character of Rose, portrayed with commanding presence, moving in its fragile veneer. Other notables included newcomer Joel Lok as the young, prickly and resentful Tom, Irene Chen as the more mature if still resentful and yet loyal daughter and Qi Yuwu as Rose’s lover who later lavishes his attentions on May. The world of 1970s Melbourne was evocatively created through noir-ish, dinghy sets, constructed interiors and exteriors shot on location. The set design seemed seamless with no indication that Ayres operated on a small budget. The costumes added an air of cultural authenticity, found by the film crew in all sorts of different places. Many of Rose’s cheongsams were inherited from a hostel owned by a lady who had recently passed away.
The film is “heavy”, what some may deem slow-moving and dreary. While it is a story of tragedy, it is the resilience of the characters that shine through and despite its serious subject matter, the film has its light-hearted moments. For example, when Rose and her children are shoved in the front a truck with Australian naval officer, Bill, they are comically all squashed together and at the first opportunity Tom is pushed out of the truck to land ungracefully on the ground. The look of confusion on Tom’s face is as endearing as it is funny!
If you want to be moved, if you want to hear a story of love and family that translates across cultures and that hasn’t been distorted by the Hollywood blockbuster formulas then the Home Song Stories is for you.
Playing in cinemas from August 23.
Written by Biwa Kwan
