Freedom

(1982)

Freedom is a "one man against the world" drama set in South Australia. It stars, in his first film, the late Jon Blake whose soon-to-be career was cut tragically short in 1986 when a car accident left him in a vegetative state. And what a terrible shame because he this film shows he was a great leading man.

Ron (Jon Blake) is a no-hoper who gets fired from every job he's ever had because of his prickly nature and outright criminal activity. One day, he spies his dream car, a Porsche 911 and it's something he must have. And he gets his opportunity when he meets the woman who is driving one, Annie (Candy Raymond), an old school friend who has borrowed her boss's car. He asks her on a date, but decides to steal the car instead and run away from it all. At a petrol station he meets Sally (Jed Capelja, whose only other film is the classic Puberty Blues) and he decides to take her with him and do whatever she wants. She wants to get get back a child that was taken away from her. Then the cops catch up with him and he must use all his skills to evade them.

Not a lot happens in the film. It's basically Ron dreaming, getting his dream and evading the cops for the final act, but Freedom is never boring. Sure, there probably should be more to it, but this is a car film, so for those who like these types of films, and there were plenty of them made in Australia in the early 80s, it does the truck without all the meaningful crap other films strive for. The director, Scott Hicks, saved that meaningful crap for Shine.

Jad Capelja film clip

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