"A Chip Off the Old Communist Block"
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What You Need To Know:
CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION has been called a red black comedy for its obviously Communist leanings. Since Communism died, this movie had to take a comic turn in the end. CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION will have zero attraction to young people who have no knowledge of Communism. Shot in a mock-umentary style, most of the laughs occur in the first two-thirds of the movie. Objectionable scenes include brief nudity and violence. It is rare for a comedy to be geared toward intellectuals, but CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION is. With few models to pattern itself after, this small comedy from down-under ultimately demonstrates the futility of Communism
Content:
(H, AC, LLL, V, SS, NN, A, D, M) Communist worldview with anti-Communist elements & ending; 27 obscenities & 6 profanities; mild violence such as fighting, rioting, demonstrations, & brief shooting incident; implied fornication & briefly depicted marital intercourse; rear male nudity; alcohol use; smoking; and, lying themes & purposefully breaking the law
More Detail:
In recent years, Australia has churned out some very funny and offbeat films such as STRICTLY BALLROOM and MURIEL’S WEDDING. A recent addition in this line from the land down under is CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION, an intelligent, funny and offbeat movie about a die hard Communist and the result of her one night dalliance with Stalin.
Judy Davis (who appeared in BLOOD & WINE and ABSOLUTE POWER) plays Joan Fraser, a woman bent on making Australia a Communist nation during the 1940s and 50s. She organizes a workers’ revolution and writes to the Soviet leader, Josef Stalin, declaring her devotion. For years, she carries on this pattern, but Australia becomes more democratic. Throughout these years, she is joined by her uninspiring but faithful companion, Welch (Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush).
After Judy turns down Welch’s marriage proposal, she accepts an offer to go to Moscow and meet Stalin in person. Stalin is excited about the prospect of meeting his ardent follower, but Judy almost doesn’t make it when an Australian spy named Nine (Sam Neill), almost prevents her from going. In Moscow, Judy is surprised to be met by Nine, who apparently is a spy for hire working for both sides of the political spectrum.
Nine takes her right to Stalin. Judy and Stalin watch movies, while Stalin becomes progressively fresh with her. The next memory that Judy has is waking up with Nine, not knowing if she slept with either man. However, the first news she receives is that Stalin is dead. Saddened at his death, she returns to Australia and accepts the marriage proposal by Welch.
Nine months later, she gives birth to a son whom she names Joe. As Joe matures, he joins his mother in all sorts of demonstrations and develops a taste for prisons. As a young adult, Joe befriends a female cop named Anna, and they get married. Joan is infuriated at this marriage because Anna is an agent of the democratic state. When Joe takes a job in the transportation department and starts a revolt, he confronts his mother and demands that the identity of his father be revealed.
CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION has been called a red black comedy for its obviously Communist leanings. Writer/director Peter Duncan states, “The story stems from my grandfather who was a card-carrying member of the Communist Party back in the 1940s. I remember how my grandfather adhered until the end of his life to his Communist principles; and, that concept of blind faith really intrigued me, so I guess it just evolved from there.” Since Communism died, this movie had to take a tragic turn, and here Duncan decides to make that result comic rather than pathetic.
CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION will have zero attraction to young people who have no interest or knowledge of Communism. At one point in the movie, Russian guards dance, rather silly. Those who don’t know the stoicism and brutality of Communism will have no reason to laugh at such antics.
The Cold War has been over now long enough that this movie should not raise many eyebrows in its obvious tongue-in-cheek endorsement of Communism. The stereotype of the philandering world leader is nothing new, nor is the personification of the idealistic zealot. The utter failure of Communism makes the passionate pontifications of born loser Joan all the more entertaining. Once she states, “The devil doesn’t carry a gun; he carries fast food and bad television.” Her wariness of all things capitalistic makes her a perfect bedfellow for Stalin. (The movie makes him into a sort of a confused loner, rather than a brutal dictator.)
Shot in a mock-umentary style similar to STRICTLY BALLROOM and THIS IS SPINAL TAP, most of the laughs occur in the first two-thirds of the movie. The backstory of the fictional, Joe Welch, political uprising of 1990 is much more entertaining than the events directly surrounding the uprising.
In fact, when Joe questions who his real father is, the movie takes a melodramatic turn. Joe Welch turns from a lovable misfit, into a sort of monster, not unlike the real Stalin. Welch and Joan, not surprisingly, have marriage troubles during this period, and that doesn’t make for good comedy.
Some laughs occur when Anna imagines the head of Stalin on her husband Joe while he is making love to her. This scene, however, is more frightening than funny.
Other objectionable scenes include some brief nudity and violence.
It is rare for a comedy today to be geared solely for the adult intellectual, but CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION is. With few models to pattern itself after, this small but funny comedy from down-under ultimately demonstrates the futility of Communism.
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