Directed by Tyler Atkins
Starring Luke Hemsworth, Rasmus King, Savannah La Rain, Isabel Lucas

Movies are about capturing emotion on a palpable scale for audiences to become fully immersed. For example, people have bad childhoods all the time, but empathising with the agony and confusion if you haven’t had one can be hard to wrap your head around.

Protecting the innocence of a child and putting their needs above your own is tantamount to being a good parent, which is exactly why Bosch is a great father, even if his own career is what has subjected Rockit to this pain.

What I’m trying to say here is that Bosch and Rockit presents an immersive, nuanced glimpse into the helplessness of a child and the challenges they face at no fault of their own.

But in saying that, is this a movie about Bosch or Rockit? I asked myself this as the credits rolled and it clicked that this is a bloated movie. While the first third-to-half of the film certainly caters to the retribution Bosch faces from a seedy life, whatever comes next builds itself around Rockit and his quest for peace. This leaves the film erecting two towering narratives which complement each other nicely but ultimately detract from one another. This isn’t exactly noticeable until the movie attempts to wrap itself up, building a bridge between the narratives for a dual punch of climax, which in execution dulls the satisfaction of both.

A common thread connecting these narratives is both characters love of surfing; and speaking of, how long has it been since a surfer/beach-bum movie has graced the big screen? Seems like forever to me, maybe I’m wrong, but it was a nice change of pace with the oceanic scenes pairing nicely with the familiarity of everyone’s Australian accents. Obviously, this wouldn’t have the same impact on someone not from Australia, but for me these sliced the time required to acquaint myself with these characters and their environments.

A central theme of the movie is adaption, as external variables relentlessly impact characters’ lives, more so than their own actions. Rockit suffers the retribution of his parents’ sins, Bosch faces the reality of greed from those around him, and the people they meet along the way all endure their own misfortune stemming from the baggage of Bosch and Rockit.

As is typically the case with true stories, it’s hard to fit years’ worth of narrative into one feature. However, the range of human experiences and emotions Bosh and Rockit attempts to cram into 100 minutes is worthy of commendation.

Bosch & Rockit is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from August 18th.

Moviedoc thanks Madman for the invite to the screening of this film.

Reviewed by Zak Wheeler for Moviedoc

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