Praise

Based on Andrew McGahan’s cult novel, “Praise” explores the relationship between Gordon and Cynthia, two chain-smoking, alcoholic young people living a life somewhere between ennui and hedonism in Queensland. Though the characters may be lethargic, the film is definitely not. “Praise” is in many ways an era-defining Australian film, accurately portraying and examining the contemporary landscape of heterosexual love and the blurring of traditional gender roles and emotional states. Featuring stand-out performances by Peter Fenton and Sacha Horler in the main roles (Horler won the AFI for Best Actress for her portrayal), “Praise” is a moving love story about the instability of love. Like the book it is based on, “Praise” features characters who may be sexually dysfunctional (Gordon ejaculates prematurely) and physically far from the Hollywood ideal (Cynthia suffers from eczema), but they are treated with respect and with affection. The film features a superb score by the Dirty Three.