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The Sunnyboy (documentary DVD review)

First published in Sydney Morning Herald, November 2013

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Not all reunions are created equal. When adored ‘80s band The Sunnyboys played​ 21 years after they split, it felt less like a reunion and more like ​a triumph of spirit, with audiences thrust ecstatically into bearing witness.

Relying mainly on footage of singer and songwriter Jeremy Oxley and his family, ​this film details why that ​reunion felt so redemptive. There is no padding ​about the wider ’80s scene or formulaic cameos from voices of the time, just the personal story of Jeremy Oxley’s battle with schizophrenia and his road to health.

​T​here is a slightly awkward naturalism caused by the camera’s presence in some domestic scenes but some immeasurably tender moments too, especially between Jeremy and his brother (and ​The Sunnyboys bassist), Peter​. Their mutually complicated love sees the film elevate into a more universal story of how families can dispense both love and pain.

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My name is Kate Hennessy. I am a freelance arts and travel writer and music critic. I contribute to Guardian Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age, The Saturday Paper, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The Wire (UK), NME and more.

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