Romper Stomper (1992)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Geoffrey Wright

Writer:

Geoffrey Wright (writer)

Release Date:

12 November 1992 (Australia)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

You've never seen anything like it.

Plot:

A group of skinheads become alarmed at the way their neighbourhood is changing.

Plot Keywords:

Skinhead | Vietnamese | Nazi | Sex | Face Slap

Awards:

8 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Russell Crowe	...	Hando
Daniel Pollock	...	Davey
Jacqueline McKenzie	...	Gabe
Alex Scott	...	Martin
Leigh Russell	...	Sonny Jim
Daniel Wyllie	...	Cackles
James McKenna	...	Bubs
Eric Mueck	...	Champ
Frank Magree	...	Brett
Christopher McLean	...	Luke
Josephine Keen	...	Megan
Samantha Bladon	...	Tracy
Tony Lee	...	Tiger
John Brumpton	...	Magoo
Don Bridges	...	Harold

Runtime:

94 min | South Korea:88 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English | Vietnamese | German | Japanese | Portuguese

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | France:-12 | Germany:18 (nf) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (cut) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | USA:R (cut) | Finland:K-18 (2003) | Finland:(Banned) (1993) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Footscray, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Trivia:

The character of Hando was originally written for Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn. However, Mendelsohn did not look menacing when his head was shaved, where as Russell Crowe had shaved his head, gotten into character, and had been persistently contacting Geoffrey Wright to reconsider his casting decision. When Wright decided Mendelsohn didn't have the look, the role went to Crowe.

Quotes:

Gabe: That's a picture of my mum. Isn't she beautiful? Everyone says I look like her. I'm not saying I'm good looking, I'm not saying that, but we do look alike. She's dead now. Was a car accident. She had her head chopped off. I think it's good to be able to talk about these things without cracking up, you know. Besides I know she's still with me somehow. I think that when I have kids, she will be one of them, sort of reincarnated.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Cartman's Silly Hate Crime 2000 (#4.2)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Pulling on the boots

Russell Crowe at his best.

This film will stay with you for quite awhile. It tells the story of Hando (Crowe) and his best mate Davey. Both are Skinheads in the Melbourne area, 1980's. Hando and Davey's lives revolve around collecting Nazi relics and attacking Orientals that have chosen to live in Australia. The two are very tight and big believers in the cause, keep Australia free of outsiders. However, when a girl enters the picture, one will start to see that life is more than just mindless violence and the other will go mad as he sees that his small group of Skins cannot change the fate of his country. This film is not preachy and does not come across as black and white. Both Hando and Davey have positive and negative traits. Instead, the picture tries to show what motivates Skins in doing what they do. The film has some violence, but only in attempt to show how pointless violence is. In my opinion, this is Crowe's finest performance. Moreover, the actor that played Davey is brilliant as well (sadly, he died shortly after the film was finished). If you want to see an excellent historical lesson about hate and how it destroys, see Romper Stomper.