Left me feeling firm in how I want my life to end
Australian-born co-writer and director Bruce Beresford has written and directed his latest film The Travellers back home, once again showcasing the beauty of Australia. Whilst his Breaker Morant (1980) was filmed right here in South Australia, this new film is mainly set in Perth, Fremantle, and York.
The Travellers is all about returning to the family home after a long time away and seeing aspects of your past with new eyes. It is both funny and reflective, depicting the realities of ageing head-on and giving a sense of how adults, long removed from their hometown, feel once they’ve travelled and been absent.
Starring distinguished Aussie actor Bryan Brown as Fred, the recently widowed father of Nikki (Susie Porter) and Stephen (Luke Bracey), Brown perfectly portrays the strong, down-to-earth, authentic Australian. Luke, as Stephen, is the successful, modern, cultured and charismatic son, who always felt out of place in a country town. Whilst he portrayed the role well for the most part, his ability to show deep emotion was somewhat restrained – a kind of emotional reserve – it may have been intentional. Although both seemingly fond of each other, neither father nor son really understand the other, and Nikki serves as the middle ground.
I liked the Aussie dialogue — short, blunt, to the point, not overly fluffy — just realistic and real. The humour is understated and mainly revolves about the quiet absurdities between characters. As the film progresses, we see how Stephen’s judgement of the town is softened through exaggerated plot points that highlight the sense of community in the country, the forgiving treatment of each other, and how everyone knows who he is and why he’s there. Although he may be far removed from this life now, he gains a renewed appreciation and sense of understanding as to why people stay.
I think how this film makes you feel depends on which stage of life you are at, and also whether you are, or have been, a carer for ageing parents or other family members. The frustrations people encounter, the unintended unempathetic nature of interactions, or the need to constantly advocate within a medical system that dehumanises patients, are well highlighted in this film.
For audiences who have a career taking care of the older generations, the themes, emotions, and challenges the film depicts will be nothing new to you, and you will connect strongly with all aspects of this piece.
The Travellers is the second Australian film I’ve seen recently after Kangaroo Island (2025) last month. I am loving seeing these movies that our Australian filmmakers are creating on their own return home (Kangaroo Island was directed by South Australia’s Timothy David). They are heartfelt, grounded films that reflect our humour, landscapes, and way of life.
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