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''The Black Balloon'' is a 2008 Australian, comedy-drama film starring Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Erik Thomson, Gemma Ward as well as a cast of newcomers. It is directed by first-time feature film director, Elissa Down. The film was released in Australian cinemas on 6 March 2008. The world premiere was at the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany in February 2008, where the film received a Crystal Bear as the best feature-length film in the ''Generation 14plus'' category.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 The Festival – Awards & Prizes – Prizes Generation )〕 ==Plot== Fifteen-year-old Thomas Mollison (Rhys Wakefield) and his family move to a new home in the early 1990s. It begins with Charlie, his autistic brother banging a wooden spoon on the grass with neighbors staring and pointing, then it cuts to the house where there are locks on the drawers and Maggie, their mother, locking star shaped stickers in her bathroom cabinet. Thomas is anxious because he has to start at a new school, and make new friends - all he wants is to do is fit in and be regarded in the same way as everyone else. However, it seems he struggles to achieve this goal. Although his family appears to be a fairly happy one, Thomas often feels isolated; it seems as if his mother only dotes upon his brother, Charlie (Luke Ford), and does not pay any attention to him. Thomas, however, is devoted to his brother and shows affection for him. Charlie is Thomas's older brother who lives with autism, as well as Attention Deficit Disorder. Charlie enjoys dressing up like a monkey, playing computer games using a Commodore 64 and receiving gold stars for good behaviour. Charlie communicates with the rest of his family by using Sign Language. When their heavily pregnant mother, Maggie, (Toni Collette) must take a rest owing to a recommendation by her doctor as a consequence of Maggie's high blood pressure, Thomas is put in charge of Charlie. Thomas finds this task difficult and onerous. For example, when Charlie flees from the house in a high-spirited mood, Thomas runs after him to ensure the safety of his brother. Thomas cannot keep up with Charlie. Matters become even more problematic when Charlie expresses the urge to go to the bathroom and enters the nearest house to use the toilet. When he does so, the brothers encounter Jackie (Gemma Ward) who is taking a shower. The fact that both brothers are only wearing their underwear is a source of severe embarrassment for Thomas. Jackie exhibits her interest in Thomas when she attends a CPR class at school and visits Thomas at his home to return Charlie's monkey hat he left when he used Jackie's toilet. Thomas's first response is to ensure that his brother is hidden away from Jackie. Maggie, however, is less than thrilled when she discovers that Thomas has locked Charlie in his bedroom, who then proceeds to rub his own faeces into the carpet. Thomas becomes frustrated and tells Maggie that Charlie is her responsibility. Maggie replies that Charlie will never be able to have a job, nor a family and will likely remain living with his parents for the rest of his life. This latest episode proves too much for Maggie. Her husband insists that she spend the rest of her pregnancy in the hospital, leaving Thomas to become the primary caregiver for Charlie. Thomas begins to enter into Charlie's world when he rides the bus for children with various disabilities with his brother along with dealing with Charlie when he has a meltdown due to Simon not buying some items at a local supermarket since he does not have enough money. This again causes severe embarrassment for Thomas. That same evening when the trio return from the supermarket, Thomas who was annoyed by the meltdown rips up Charlie's star chart. This causes things to become worse when the brothers fight and Charlie throws a stool through the window. The next day, when Thomas attends his swimming class, Jackie wears Charlie's monkey ears, which pleases and amuses him. When Jackie meets Charlie, she makes a concerted effort to know and understand him, as well as to use Sign Language as a means by which to communicate with him. Thomas and his father endeavour to care for Charlie. Simon tells Thomas that his mother is grateful to have Charlie as a child because she feels that the family is strong enough to be able to look after him. Representatives from Youth and Community Services visit the house and state that they have received complaints about Charlie. Simon is furious at his neighbour whom he attributes responsibility for the invasive visit. Thomas also displays his loyalty to his brother. Charlie accompanies Jackie and Thomas to swim in a river. When it rains, they all shelter in a nearby drainpipe where Jackie and Thomas share their first kiss. When the boys arrive home, there is a note taped to the television which states that Maggie has given birth to a girl. When Thomas sees Charlie at his school, Charlie becomes the victim of malicious taunting and harassment. Jackie tells Thomas that he needs to quit wishing that Charlie was 'normal.' Tensions flare when Jackie eats a roast dinner with the family in order to celebrate Thomas's sixteenth birthday. Jackie wonders whether or not Charlie will ever speak again. Thomas is confident that Charlie will if everyone will stop communicating with him using Sign Language. When Charlie begins masturbating at the table, causing Jackie to become extremely uncomfortable, Thomas becomes irate and smashes Charlie's Super Nintendo console, leading to a fight between the brothers. After a physical altercation between the two brothers, Maggie exhibits sympathy for both of her sons. In spite of his mother's commiseration, Thomas still feels as if he behaved badly. In the morning, Thomas joins Charlie in his morning activity: sitting in the backyard while banging a wooden spoon on the ground. The family attend a school musical production entitled ''Animals Afloat'', in which Charlie portrays a monkey. After Charlie's theatrical partner, Russell, has a meltdown on stage, Thomas and Charlie both don monkey costumes and give an outstanding performance. The brothers celebrate their success by taking a bubble bath together. Thomas confesses to his brother that when he was little, he used to fall asleep at night, wishing that Charlie would be normal. Charlie looks thoughtful. The film concludes with Thomas laughing and asking Charlie, "You just pissed on my leg, didn't you?" The brothers then share a laugh together. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Black Balloon (film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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