Prepare for things to get savage in the latest Australian Christmas flick from director Madeleine Dyer. In A Savage Christmas, transwoman Davina heads home after three years.
Davina anticipates the spotlight to shine on her transition but is surprised as family secrets and lies come to light. These revelations pose a threat to not only their lives but also to another Christmas lunch. A Savage Christmas is a fun addition to a long list of films centred around Christmas.
In A Savage Christmas, we meet the Savage family. Their Christmas day is set to be much like their last name – Savage! The family get together to celebrate the jolly day over lunch. Each family member brings their own issues that come to light as the day progresses. Can the family mend their relationships, or will this year be their last family Christmas?
The ensemble cast of characters successfully demonstrated believability as a dysfunctional family, each with a unique story. Some well-known actors pop up to add another comedy element to the story. We saw supporting roles from the likes of Gary Sweet as a thug and Rachel Griffith as a doctor.
The film’s writers have crafted a group of eccentric characters in amusing situations with witty dialogue delivered from some new and familiar faces.
Throughout the film, we glimpse the typical Australian humour paired with some important topics such as gender identity and adoption.
At times, almost too many topics were included, unfortunately ensuring that most were only partially explored. It was refreshing, however, to see two trans characters take the lead in this movie.
The final scenes highlight the significance of family and forgiveness, which viewers may recognise as relatable to their own family chaos.
This is not one that I would add to my regular yearly Christmas viewing, but it is a lighthearted flick that provides comedic relief during a busy time of the year and is well worth a viewing.
Check your local cinema for session viewing times.
This review also appears on It’s On The House, with more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre Reviews to see what else is on in your town.
