This film examines the pain of drug addiction through the eyes of youth. Molly Parker plays the young mum who can't get off "the gear" and the film is seen through the eyes of her young son who loves his mum but hates what the drugs do to her. The film is OK but not great. The performers all do well with what the script gives them but the film seems to lack something - it almost seems the film is script by numbers. All the usual drug clichés come out - the cold turkey scene, the evil dealer (played by David Wenham) and the death by overdose of one the characters. I don't know why the travails of drug addiction seems to interest film makers repeatedly - it certainly contains enough misery and human suffering which can make for fine drama - the problem with Pure, despite its confronting subject matter, the characters seemed poorly fleshed out. To this middle class art house viewer the film contrasted poorly with other films set in a similar depressing circumstances - eg the stunning Nil by Mouth.
On the plus side, the actors all do well - David Wenham has that man ever done a dud performance?
On the plus side, the actors all do well - David Wenham has that man ever done a dud performance?