The Sum of Us

Starring:Jack Thompson, Russell Crowe, John Polson, Deborah Kennedy, Joss Moroney, Mitch Matthews, Julie Herbert, Des James, Mick Campbell (II), Donny Muntz, Jan Adele, Rebekah Elmaloglou, Lola Nixon, Sally Cahill (II), Bob Baines, Paul Freeman, Walter Kennard, Stuart Campbell, Graham Drake, Elaine Lee
Director: Kevin Dowling, Geoff Burton
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Australia has no shortage of he-man actors. Tops on anybody's list would be Russell Crowe and bluff, burly Jack Thompson, neither of whom looks completely at ease without a pint of lager in his hand. Thus it's a brilliant touch to cast them together in a gay comedy--Crowe as an uncloseted young man looking for love, Thompson as his open-minded straight father, who's so eager to help his son find Mr. Right, he's actually a bit of an annoyance. The 1995 movie betrays its stage origins, especially when the characters turn to the camera to deliver conversational asides. And the one-joke premise of Thompson's unflagging enthusiasm for his son's sex life becomes almost as tiresome for the viewer as it does for the son. But it's an innocuous enough little movie, and the two actors bring their gruff likability into every scene. In retrospect, Crowe's future stardom looks blindingly obvious. --Robert Horton
Album Description
Import only NTSC / Region 1 DVD. 1994 film starring Russell Crowe. Synopsis, Harry, a blue-collar widower, lives with his 24-year-old son Jeff in Sydney, Australia. Harry is quite proud of his Rugby-playing plumber son, and even takes an active part in Jeff's search for Mr. Right. Yes, Jeff is gay, and his Dad is almost too good to be true in The Sum Of Us (Goldwyn). Not only does Harry encourage his son's lifestyle, he is forever breaking into the bedroom with a nice hot cup of tea for Jeff and his bed partner. Harry, through a video dating service, eventually finds a friend of his own, a divorcee named Joyce, who may not be so understanding after spying a copy of Inches magazine around the house. Dolby Digital 2.0. Full Screen.

The Sum of Us
Average customer rating:

Funny, moving romantic comedy

Only good for Russell Crowe Fans

Crowe Plays Gay

awful

Kudos to Russell Crowe

The Sum of Us
Starring: Jack Thompson , Russell Crowe , John Polson , Deborah Kennedy , and Joss Moroney
Director: Kevin Dowling , and Geoff Burton
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Gay & Lesbian | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Drama | By Genre | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Australia & New Zealand | By Country | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
Crowe, Russell | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Freeman, Paul | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Thompson, Jack | ( T ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Dowling, Kevin | ( D ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
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Australia & New Zealand | By Country | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Drama | By Genre | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Comedy | By Theme | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
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DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00008R9KG
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Amazon.com essential video

Australia has no shortage of he-man actors. Tops on anybody's list would be Russell Crowe and bluff, burly Jack Thompson, neither of whom looks completely at ease without a pint of lager in his hand. Thus it's a brilliant touch to cast them together in a gay comedy--Crowe as an uncloseted young man looking for love, Thompson as his open-minded straight father, who's so eager to help his son find Mr. Right, he's actually a bit of an annoyance. The 1995 movie betrays its stage origins, especially when the characters turn to the camera to deliver conversational asides. And the one-joke premise of Thompson's unflagging enthusiasm for his son's sex life becomes almost as tiresome for the viewer as it does for the son. But it's an innocuous enough little movie, and the two actors bring their gruff likability into every scene. In retrospect, Crowe's future stardom looks blindingly obvious. --Robert Horton

Album Description

Import only NTSC / Region 1 DVD. 1994 film starring Russell Crowe. Synopsis, Harry, a blue-collar widower, lives with his 24-year-old son Jeff in Sydney, Australia. Harry is quite proud of his Rugby-playing plumber son, and even takes an active part in Jeff's search for Mr. Right. Yes, Jeff is gay, and his Dad is almost too good to be true in The Sum Of Us (Goldwyn). Not only does Harry encourage his son's lifestyle, he is forever breaking into the bedroom with a nice hot cup of tea for Jeff and his bed partner. Harry, through a video dating service, eventually finds a friend of his own, a divorcee named Joyce, who may not be so understanding after spying a copy of Inches magazine around the house. Dolby Digital 2.0. Full Screen.

Customer Reviews:

Funny, moving romantic comedy.......2007-01-25

THE SUM OF US deserves to be seen by a large audience. Such a special, humane film, graced by a fine script, excellent acting, and such uplifting general message is all one needs in order to feel good about belonging to the human race. Jack Thompson and Russell Crowe are brilliant in it. What wonderful actors, indeed!

Only good for Russell Crowe Fans.......2007-01-04

Storyline was barely believable. First time I watched it, I loved it - but that was mainly based on seeing Russell.
Second time I attempted to watch it, I turned it off. The storyline, or lack of, was really noticeable this time. And the father is nothing less that irritating.
I suggest buy a second hand copy only!

Crowe Plays Gay.......2006-12-27

"THE SUM OF US"

Crowe Plays Gay

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

"The Sum of Us" is a wonderfully effective domestic drama from Australia. It is funny and moving at the same time. It is a rare father and son story with a gay theme that makes no compromises for a straight audience. It is more about family values than anything else. It is not about one of those families you read about in fiction or imagined by Christian fundamentalists but a family based on unconditional love, untraditional in make up but based on love. Love takes all forms in "The Sum of Us". There is the love between son and widower father, the infatuation between Jeff, a plumber (Russell Crowe) and new boyfriend, Greg, Newly blossoming love between Harry (the father) and a girlfriend he met through a dating service and the love between Harry's mom and her lover. Mary.
Because of competent acting and a literate, sympathetic script which exposes the homophobia of everyday life as well as the way the movie shows how a father can love his gay son, the film succeeds wonderfully. It's a sort of gay crossover movie for everyone to enjoy. As we see a beautiful treatment of how a dad works to protect his son from AIDS by teaching him about the necessity of love, safer sex and honest communication, we get the kind of feel good movie that is so hard to find.
Harry learned about homophobia the hard way. His mother lived with her female lover for most of her life. These scenes shown in flashback are wrenching especially as we watch Harry break the lovers up because they are too old and frail to care for each other and how he separates them, sending his mother off to a rest home where she dies. The movie also deals with what we have lost to AIDS but through analogy.
The early scenes of the film are very funny. When Jeff brings Greg home to meet his dad, it is his dad who turns on the charm and fits right into the situation. As the movie moves between comedy and tragedy, it does so beautifully. The entire cast is more than wonderful but it is Harry, the father, (Jack Thompson) who owns the movie. His performance is brilliant as he plays a softy whose love for his son is returned, in turn. Harry is stoic about his son's gayness. Most of the time, his face shows tolerance but he is a man of wit and understanding and intelligence who loves his son above everything and is supportive of everything his son does. Russell Crowe is fully able as the son but he has tough competition from Thompson and cannot command the same empathy that Thompson does.
This movie is a study of the degrees of tolerance in family situations. The dominant emotion is love. The exploration of the father-son relationship is beautiful and on the whole the entire movie is a treat.
When Harry says, "Love is the greatest adventure of all" repeatedly you feel the love with which he says it. He accepts his son being gay but doesn't like the word and rather than saying his son is gay, he says he is "cheerful". He explains s love for his son by saying "Our children are the sum of us".

awful.......2006-09-25

What? I am so confused. I thought the two male leads were friends and the older man wanted to be with the younger one. Ugh when I read that they were father and son I really wanted to change the channel. I didn't enjoy this film at all.

Kudos to Russell Crowe.......2006-05-29

Crowe did a superb job in the role of Jeff Mitchell. He exudes so much life, warm, depth, and affection that it is almost overwhelming at times. This is a must have movie.

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