64
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80VarietyRichard KuipersVarietyRichard KuipersArriving at a moment when parenting and child development are being closely analyzed and discussed, West of Sunshine is a timely and intelligent essay on the eternal theme of how fathers can both inspire and alienate their sons.
- 75The PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe PlaylistKevin JagernauthA drama crafted with precision, and feeling, West of Sunshine succeeds admirably with its modest ambitions, as the filmmaker puts himself on the horizon as one to watch.
- 70Screen DailySarah WardScreen DailySarah WardIn addition to the obviously authentic rapport between the quietly compelling Hill and impressive first-timer Perham, populating the feature’s frames with as many non-actors as possible also adds detail and texture.
- 70Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleLos Angeles TimesRobert AbeleIn the modest but sneakily affecting Australian father-son drama West of Sunshine, your sympathies for a problematic dad come and go in waves, sometimes within the span of a few seconds.
- 70Film ThreatFilm ThreatAll of the performances are at least solid, and for an indie, the production value is impressive. It won’t reduce you to a weeping mess, but at 78 minutes it’s a trim, satisfying drama that does justice to its inspirations.
- 63Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreWhatever predictable, melodramatic turns this Jason Raftopoulos film takes, it rarely blinks and never gives itself over to the “romance” of gambling and the gambler’s lifestyle.
- 60The GuardianXan BrooksThe GuardianXan BrooksWest of Sunshine’s rough, down-at-heel Aussie vibe prompts one to set it alongside other recent bawlers and brawlers, such as Kriv Stenders’ Boxing Day or David Michod’s Animal Kingdom. But Raftopoulos is altogether more protective of his characters, shielding them from full-blown horror, clearly wishing them well even as they stumble and fall, and his film works best in tenderly framing a burgeoning father-son friendship.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterHarry WindsorThe Hollywood ReporterHarry WindsorThis story of a courier racing against the clock to pay off a debt boasts a vivid sense of place, as well as some awkward dialogue and a lead performance not quite flavorful enough to make the character's self-sabotage compelling.
- 40CineVueJohn BleasdaleCineVueJohn BleasdaleHill does his best but Jim is woefully underwritten, a shuffling loser who various other characters try to bolster with the dignity of a back story that doesn’t seem to fit his actual behaviour.