Mad Bastards

Plot

Years ago, TJ (Dean Daley-Jones) abandoned his wife and son, and as time passes his conscience tells him it's time he began facing up to his responsibilities as a father. TJ is an Aboriginal man living in Western Australia and has a weakness for alcohol and a habit of getting into fights. As it happens, TJ's son Bullet (Lucas Yeeda) is nearly as troubled as he is; at the age of thirteen, he's already been arrested for arson and instead of serving a sentence in a juvenile detention home, he is released to the custody of his Elders. Bullet isn't anxious to reacquaint himself with TJ, but both realize they need to settle their scores with one another, and Bullet's Grandfather Texas (Greg Tait) steps in to help.

Cast

Reception

Mad Bastards received positive reviews from critics and audiences, earning an approval rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Michelle Orange of SBS gave the film three stars out of five. She observed that the "over-reliance on score sets up an avoidant rhythm that begins to feel like a lack of narrative confidence." However she also points out that "Fletcher’s atmospheric approach is not without moments of emotional power, and the raw, unyielding landscapes of Northwestern Australia are framed to resonant effect."