Retro Review: Death in Brunswick (1990)

Everything old is new again, or so it seems. In Retro Review, our resident film buffs take a dive into a movie classic -- and tell us why it worked then, and whether it still works now. This week, we look a little closer to home with Death in Brunswick, Ella O'Neil reviews.

The Movie

Death in Brunswick is a dark comedy directed by John Raune. The film follows Carl Fitzgerald, a 34-year-old man-child who is still living at home with his mother, as he gets a new job working as a cook in a sleazy Brunswick nightclub. Death in Brunswick was the second highest-grossing film of 1991 and grossed the equivalent of more than $5,490,566 today.

Who’s in it

Sam Neil is most likely the big name here as Carl Fitzgerald, having starred in many Australian and international films including the Jurassic Park franchise (beginning in 1993), as well as Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilder People (2016), The Piano (1993), Evil Angels (1988) and more.

John Clarke is another well-known name, as a famous New Zealand comedian, writer and satirist. He has appeared in a handful of films (Never Say Die (1988) and Blood Oath (1990)). However, his main work has been satirical television and mockumentaries.

Zoe Carides, while less known, has appeared in Australian Production productions including ABC series Grass Roots (2000 - 2003) as well as appearances in other programs. Here, she plays our love interest, Sophie.

Daniel Pollock appeared in several other prominent Australian films around this time including Romper Stomper (1992) and Proof (1991)

Nick Lathouris - Greek Australian Actor and Writer, best known for The Heartbreak kid (1993) and spin off show Heartbreak high (1994 - 1996). He is also a co-screenwriter in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

What made it work?

On his first shift, Fitzgerald is given the nickname “cookie” and presented with a dirty, roach-infested, severely neglected kitchen and meets his kitchen hand, a sketchy young man named Mustafa, who deals drugs out the back of the restaurant. During his shift, he decides to go up to the bar and get a drink from 19-year-old Bartender Sofie, who he is instantly attracted to. This interaction also leads to Carl meeting Laurie, a violent, sleazy bouncer who is the main antagonist of the film. After a fight between Laurie, nightclub owner Yanni and Mustafa's crew, Fitzgerald finds himself responsible for a dead body. Fitzgerald has to hide the body with his gravedigger friend Dave while juggling his relationship with Sofie, whose family wants her to find a patriarchal figure to marry.

The original film score by Phil Judd (Split, Enz) and Peter Volaris won Score of the Year at the APRA Music awards of 1991 and helps to wrap up Death in Brunswick's kooky, gritty but lighthearted vibe. Although the film follows Carl, a white Australian, the film highlights the working-class multicultural suburb of Brunswick, with all the iconic beauty and all the chaos that comes with it. We also see the working class migrant experience through Sophie, who has to handle her family's traditional values against western culture, which sees women date, have sex and retain a level of control over their own destiny. It doesn’t help that Carl's own overbearing mother holds her own prejudiced and classist judgements on Sophie as well.

For Greek Australian and Turkish Australian Viewers, this movie potentially was a rare opportunity to see elements of their language and culture displayed (albeit through fairly overt stereotyping), which for the time would have been rare.

Does it Work Now?

This wouldn't be an iconic 90s film without some problematic themes, however, perhaps that is this movie's charm. The most notable probably being that Carl is a 34-year-old man who is committed to dating a naive 19-year-old girl, who is essentially enamoured with the fact that he is not constantly sexually harassing her. But after all, Carl is a loser, and this plot line most definitely conveys shortcomings of Carl's character, and the situation of Sofia and her arrangement to marry Yanni Voulgaris, the owner of the nightclub.

Carl's friend Dave is also not a particularly shining example of an exemplary father; however, he does love his family and is extremely loyal to his best friend. It is the flawed humanity and societal honesty of Death in Brunswick that makes it such a valuable classic.

Soak up that iconic Melbourne suburbia. Zoe Carides (left) and Sam Neil (right). (Image: Supplied)

As a white Australian, it’s hard for me to judge if this is a fair, accurate or humorous portrayal of Greek and Turkish culture within Melbourne. The story is specifically about crime and gang activity, which was prevalent in these areas at the time and is common among lower socioeconomic areas with fewer opportunities. From an outside perspective, the film is endearing and humorous in how it portrays the genuine struggles of these areas at the time, although there is quite overt stereotyping and caricatures going on as well. Ultimately, it’s a call that Greek and Turkish viewers will have to make for themselves.

The 80s and 90s were definitely not a time of overwhelming political correctness, but Death in Brunswick portrays a gritty, humorous and endearing window into a working-class multicultural inner north pocket of Melbourne in the early 1990s.

Should I see it?

I believe that most Australians (particularly young Australians) don’t see enough of our incredible archive of homegrown cinema. Death in Brunswick is a shining example of the dry wit and dark humour that is so prevalent within Australian culture and media. The film is shot around Sydney Road, a popular Melbourne precinct full of music, culture and life and includes scenes in iconic places such as the Brunswick Baths. As Melbourne continues to evolve and the demographics of especially inner-city suburbs grow and change, it is important to catch a glimpse of the rich diversity and culture that has made Melbourne everything that it is today.

So, watch it with your friends, do your patriotic required reading for your country. It’s currently available for free on ABC iView. Death in Brunswick is perfect for a laugh with your mates or a comforting night in by yourself. Enjoy the catchy, iconic soundtrack and admire the wonderful and diverse city you live in, with all the chaos that makes it special.

What more could I ask for? For me, it’s a strong 9/10.