***SPOILERS***
This is a beautiful first feature for Australian director/ writer Leon Ford. Focusing on a socially awkward Griff and his relationships it is superbly shot to reflect the emotions, thoughts of Griff and the other characters and the subject matter. This film has a melancholic yet child like imaginative quality. The costume and art design is some of the best I've seen in Australian films. It is stylised in a really interesting way that focuses on Griff's world rather than placing it so obviously as Sydney, Australia. Whereas most Australian films tend to awkwardly over-emphasise location and Australian "culture". Rather this film focuses on some unique characters with their own flaws and quirks and we get to experience their emotional journey that is both sweet and heart breaking. The performances are outstanding especially for Griff played by Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) and Maeve Dermondy (Beautiful Kate) as Melody. The film also has a great supporting cast and the cinematography is a joy to watch, complimenting the tone and emotions of the characters.
Colour plays a crucial role in communicating the plot and themes of this film. They use the primary colours red, yellow and blue predominantly. Interestingly they deviate in the above image with use of green to communicate the invisible. As shown Griff becomes the mirror image or reflection of nothingness or invisibility. This can also be seen with the contrast in the yellow lemons in the bathtub scene and the follow scene where he sees the suit as invisible. See below.
Predominantly Griff is shown as relted to the colour yellow, with his yellow raincoat of his detective persona as well as his chosen superhero costume colour. The colour yellow can often be interpreted as a colour reference to the characteristic of being a "coward". This might align with the character of Griff his "real" persona being that he is weak and bullied victim and also childlike, most like on the Aspergers/ Austism Spectrum (but also possibly fit the psychosis/ schizophrenia diagnostic criteria).
Melody is predominantly shown as wearing red or with some sort of cardigan with flowers. Red is often a symbol of seduction, sex and desire. A colour of the passions. Melody has her own type of odd characteristics that are less clearly defined as Griff's. She is somewhat more self aware, but we grow to learn that "reality" and "growing up" isn't necessarily what makes us happy and perhaps keeping our fantasies/ delusions 'alive' are what make our lives meaningful and happy. (See below).
I love this sequence (above) because it's a perfect spoof of most Marvel/ DC comic book/ superhero movies. Very Superman and Lois Lane. Melody is wearing red and blue. Blue appears to be the crossover colour bridging the characters together. Blue is the colour of Griff's suits, but also the universe suit she makes him and she is often seen wearing blue and yellow. Thus they are gradually visually becoming harmonious.
Melody is shown with blue pillow and yellow pillow/ sheets, both colours that symbolise Griff.
Melody is shown with a blue shirt and yellow handbag, both symbolise Griff and perfect against Griff's yellow walls.
Melody wearing her blue coat with yellow handbag after giving Griff the universe suit. The use of colour is so repetitive and obvious that it must be significant.
In the penultimate scene Melody is framed against the red door and Griff is wearing blue shirt symbolising his "normal" or "work" persona against his true yellow walls. Both distressed and in pain their fantasy becomes reality and Melody's theory is realised and she falls through the door.
At the end Melody is delivered a package with special instructions on how to see Griff when he's invisible. He is wearing a blue jumper and the view master is yellow. Thus integrating all the colours because Melody is wearing red. All the primary colours integrate the notion that Melody and Griff can love and truly see each other as their "real" selves. It is a perfect depiction of how only people we love are the ones who really see us as "visible". It is an ongoing theme in the film explicitly to make yourself less seen ie. invisible and be less odd or unusual to avoid being bullied or judged. It is a beautiful ending to see character's embrace themselves regardless of (supposed) reality.
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