Starring Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Chris ODowd
Directed by Wayne Blair
Its hard to find fault in a soundtrack boasting soul staples like I Heard It Through the Grapevine and Ill Take You There. Unfortunately, The Sapphires polished music is constantly drowned out by the rickety storytelling mechanics vainly attempting to manufacture drama.
After being advised that Australias Aboriginals were deemed flora and fauna as late as 1967, we witness this racism firsthand as the McCrae sisters domineering Gail (Deborah Mailman), talented Julie (Jessica Mauboy), and impetuous Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) croon a Merle Haggard ballad to a venomous pub crowd. They do, however, catch the ear of an alcoholic impresario (Chris ODowd) who suggests that theyre better suited for soul. After a crash course in Girl Group 101, the rechristened Sapphires are bound for the land of opportunity: Vietnam, where American soldiers dont particularly care about the colour of their entertainers skin.
However, once the sisters are removed from the racial powder keg of rural Australia, the film is sapped of any genuine conflict and struggles to establish precisely what their arc is to be. Efforts to generate tension are rather inept. A light-skinned cousin Kay (Shari Sebbens) is recruited seemingly for the sole purpose of instigating shouting matches. Later, much energy is devoted to heaping foreboding on a supposedly perilous foray into the Vietnam jungle that then unfolds without incident.
Director Wayne Blairs decision to use flagrant lip-syncing also deprives the musical numbers of any energy or immediacy. Guitarist Link Wray once opined, Soul music is pain. Alas, The Sapphires serves up the hooks but skimps on the blood, sweat, and tears.
