Directed by Sari Braithwaite, this documentary is full of the candid and heartfelt moments within the everyday life of the Barnes-Sharrock family. Janet Sharrock and her two kids, and Brent “Buddha” Barnes and his three kids form a working class, neurodivergent family. They graciously share their space and time with the film crew to show an authentic representation of their “normal.” This film covers a few heartbreaking moments, conflict resolution, and vulnerable conversations.
The family
Janet Sharrock and Brent Barnes met at their local RSL spot (a club for people who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force), and at the time, they already had children individually with previous partners. They fell in love and married, bringing their family together. Becky, the oldest, has autism and HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory) and is one of only 80 people worldwide to have this diagnosed condition where she is able to remember every day of her life.
Jessica is a comedian, and she has had depression for as long as she can remember. Brandon, one of Brent’s sons, works at the shop with his father. During the film, he celebrates getting certified as a spray painter for cars and automotive parts.
Courtesy of Sari Braithwaite
Kylie is not living with the rest of the family; she does not get along with Janet. She often reflects on how she has treated Janet and others in the family. Dylan is the youngest, and though we don’t see a lot of him on screen, he is following in his father’s footsteps and preparing to learn more about the family automotive business.
Lessons learned
There are several moments where the audience is reminded of the theme and the title, two of which bookend the film. At the beginning of the film, Brent tells Janet “I got you, babe.” Then, he repeats it at the end to remind her that he is still there for her, regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in. The director chooses to include their pillow talk as a transition between scenes; though this is a film about a family, it reveals a lot about the bond between Janet and Brent as husband and wife. They couldn’t be more different, and they make it work.
Jessica, Janet’s younger daughter, struggles to stay afloat in her every day life. Regarding the trauma that she went through, she states that “when we forget things, they’re not gone. They’re in a part of our brain that’s locked away. And it’s locked away to keep me alive…it’s not a wound that needs to be closed. All you can do is… you need to just live, despite it.”
Eventually, they reveal that Brandon totaled a car not too long ago and Brent gave him a heartbreaking lecture to him about the dangers of drinking and driving. Despite his initial angry tone, you can tell that he cares about him, and just wants his son to make responsible choices and come home safe every night.
They will always have each other
The film ends on a high note— Brent and Janet have a large group of people over to celebrate Brent’s birthday. In a voiceover, he asks “Am I poor? What is poor?” and he concludes with “I just see all we’ve got.” He expresses gratitude at the end, and he takes Janet in his arms to dance under the gazebo they set up together at the beginning of the film.
Courtesy of Melbourne International Film Festival
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
This film from the 2022 Melbourne International Film Festival is heartwarming, and shares many vulnerable conversations and life lessons learned. The cinematography and lighting were simple, yet they needed to be— the highlights of the film were the sincere interactions between family members, the stressful events, and reasons to celebrate.
An Atlanta-based actress, model, writer, and screenwriter, Miranda started her career on stage in high school. She figured out that acting and writing were two passions of hers that allowed her to constructively express her emotions through character and narrative. In 2022, she packed up her cat and everything she owned to move across the US to Atlanta to further pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry. She is currently working on a novel and the screenplay adaptation for the novel, and enjoys designing graphics.
