AMA VICDOC Spring 2023 - Magazine - Page 6
I N R E V I E W: RE A D | WATC H | L I ST E N
6
BRUNY
BARBIE
WISER THAN ME
Fiction by
Heather Rose (2019)
Movie directed by
Greta Gerwig (2023)
Podcast hosted by
Julia Louis Dreyfus (2023)
A fine piece of Australian
fiction with a plot that
seems all too possible, Bruny
is award-winning writer
Heather Rose’s eighth novel.
Set in Tasmania, it’s a story
of family, politics and love
in a changing world. Part
fiction, part love story and
part thriller, Bruny’s major
story arc explores the
building of a huge bridge
to connect Bruny Island
with mainland Tasmania,
and what happens when
terrorists blow it up. Main
character Astrid Coleman,
a UN trouble shooter
with war zone experience,
returns home to help her
politician brother navigate
the bombing’s social and
political fallout before
an upcoming election.
The novel delves into
themes such as political
manipulation, environmental
concerns, and family
dynamics. As Astrid
navigates the complexities
of the situation, she must
confront her own past and
make difficult choices that
will impact her family and
her home.
We know, we know. We
didn’t think we’d ever go
and see the Barbie movie
either. But this Barbie has
been deconstructed and
reinvented by a dream
team of writers, actors
and producers, including
director Greta Gerwig
(Lady Bird, 20th Century
Women) and Australianborn producer-star Margot
Robbie (Neighbours, The
Wolf of Wall Street, Tonya)
with wit, humour and a dose
of subversive irony on the
agenda. In the beginning,
Barbie exists in a perfect
pink Barbieland where
iterations of herself are in
charge — think President
Barbie, Lawyer Barbie and
Journalist Barbie. But when
she and Ken leave for the
real world, they each journey
— Ken into the patriarchy
and Barbie into an existential
depression that prompts her
to question her place in the
world. It’s ridiculous, clever
and riotously entertaining,
with pithy cultural references,
self-deprecating humour and
laugh out loud moments at
every turn.
“Each week, I'm going to
get schooled by women
who are older and much
wiser than me,” says Julia
Louis Dreyfus (Seinfeld,
Veep), as introduction to
her new podcast. And she
does, chatting with the
likes of Jane Fonda, Rhea
Perlman, and Isabel Allende.
It's a refreshing, sometimes
personal listen as they
reflect on their careers,
family, relationships and
the challenges of ageing.
Wiser Than Me launched in
March 2023, and to great
success — shortly after its
debut, it was the number one
show on Apple Podcasts. The
only negative is the presence
of lengthy advertisements at
the midpoint of the hour or so
long podcast, where Dreyfus
endorses various products
— presumably at the behest
of production company,
Lemonada Media. It’s a touch
forced, so tune out of that bit
if you can — because the rest
is pure gold.
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