Paper Planes (G)
Director: Robert Connolly (Balibo)
Starring: Ed Oxenbould, Sam Worthington, Terry Norris, Deborah Mailman, David Wenham.
Rating: 3 stars
You’ve got to know how to fold ‘em
Not since Red Dog has there been an Australian film aimed squarely at children that is truly worth the look-see.
Though Paper Planes won’t quite prove to be the same hit commodity as that clever coloured canine, it is still a lovely, well-made affair sure to make many a young friend this summer.
Ed Oxenbould stars as Dylan, a 12-year-old kid from the bush with a talent for producing paper planes that fly faster and further than his peers.
As luck would have it, the national paper plane championships are about to happen, and Dylan more than deserves a shot at the title.
Faster ... Dylan (Ed Oxenbould , third from left) has a talent for producing paper planes. Source: Supplied
However, both the distracted state of his depressed dad Jack (Sam Worthington) and a dire lack of funds may stop Dylan’s dream from ever getting off the ground.
Therefore Dylan must fly a solo mission if he is to make it to the big smoke to pit his self-engineered slimline crafts against the very best in the country.
Did someone say garage sale? Yep, that should just about do the trick. A little cunning community fundraising from Grandpa (a scene-stealing Terry Norris) will almost certainly make up the shortfall.
Struggle street ... Sam Worthington plays a depressed dad in Paper Planes. Source: Supplied
The most charming aspect of Paper Planes is its intent to represent modern rural life in Australia without resorting to any of the usual wildlife-and-wacky-characters cliches.
Though Dylan doesn’t have the opportunities other children take for granted — largely as a result of his father’s anguished state since the death of his wife — he does have a determination and resourcefulness that many his age could learn from.
Family values ... Ed Oxenbould, Terry Norris and Sam Worthington in a scene from Paper Planes. Source: Supplied
The young lad also has a set of behavioural values — a moral code, if you will — that not only propels his quest, but allows him to soar over the many obstacles regularly placed in his way.
Overall, there is a modest, natural maturity to the film as a whole that is markedly rare for the genre.
The lead performance of young Ed Oxenbould is to be applauded, as he too understands the understated, yet direct wavelength Paper Planes is transmitting upon.
While he is already drawing interest from Hollywood (as evidenced by his recent starring role in the Disney comedy Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day), it would be great to see him anchoring more quality, youth-centric fare in Australia in coming years.
With a strong support cast that includes warm contributions from the likes of David Wenham and Deborah Mailman, Paper Planes delivers a payload of gentle, genial stuff that will be much loved by its target audience of primary schoolers.
Originally published as Review — Paper Planes
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