The international film industry has provided us with many moments of genuine striking emotion, mainly certain memorable scenes in movies, but very rarely does a piece of television come along that can send constant shivers down your spine.
From the very beginning I was drawn completely into this story. While not being an entirely original concept - a family divided by the actions of one member and the feelings of the others, long-hidden secrets, memories of things said in the heat of the moment - what really makes this a brilliant series is the combination of original cinematic techniques and some amazing performances from outstanding Australian actors.
It's fantastic to see Hugo Weaving and David Wenham, not only back on home soil after appearances in big budget blockbusters, but in roles that show the full spectrum of their talent. I found myself not only despising Weaving's character to begin with, but wanting to reach into the tv and hit him for being such a pompous, narrow minded idiot. We also see amazing performances from Samuel Johnson, Rachel Griffiths and Ray Barrett - an actor who has never stopped delivering top notch performances, and delivers another here - I could have believed he really had Alzheimers.
The other fantastic thing about this series is the cross-cutting between the present and the past, and the inclusion of present day characters in scenes set in the past, and vice versa. The editing technique is seamless, and the four stories mesh perfectly into one, creating an awesome display that a cast and crew of this caliber are worthy of.
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