critically acclaimed L.A. Confidential was the film that truly propelled Crowe to international stardom in 1997.

As an Australian production, The Sum of Us was instrumental in launching Crowe into American fame. The film is a significant point in Crowe's extensive career, especially given his less successful recent roles. Despite his recent string of unsuccessful films, Crowe's most remarkable period was soon after The Sum of Us, between 1997 and 2001. During that time, he shot to fame and received three consecutive Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The Sum of Us is a highlight of Russell Crowe's career and features one of his best performances, despite often being overlooked.

Russell Crowe Plays A Young Australian In A Strained Homosexual Relationship In The Sum of Us

The Sum Of Us Is A Unique Entry In Russell Crowe's Filmography

Russell Crowe takes on a unique character in The Sum of Us and delivers a performance unlike anything seen from him before. The story centers around a plumber by trade, Jeff (Crowe) and his father, Harry (Jack Thompson). Crowe's protagonist develops feelings for Greg (John Polson), a closeted gay man, which then subsequently creates conflict for everyone in the film. The Sum of Us clearly had a very small budget, which is evident in its limited scope, few characters, and contained plot. While the film offers moments of levity, it's punctuated by truly heartbreaking scenes.

The Sum of Us features a subplot where Crowe's father, Harry, connects with Joyce (Deborah Kennedy) through online dating, only for her to swiftly express her lack of for Jeff's lifestyle. Naturally, this strains Jeff and Harry's relationship, and allows Crowe to create some deeply moving scenes. At just an hour and 40 minutes, it manages to be incredibly rich and full without ever feeling stuffed or unbalanced. The true strength of The Sum of Us lies in the delightful chemistry between Crowe and Thompson, whose father-son dynamic makes the film a delight to watch.

Even in his early career, Crowe delivered an outstanding performance in The Sum of Us, hinting at the three Oscar nominations that would define his later career.

The Sum of Us was very early on in Crowe's career, debuting in 1994. Coming only two years after his first feature, Romper Stomper, The Sum of Us was instrumental in establishing Crowe's fame internationally, including in America. Even in his early career, Crowe delivered an outstanding performance in The Sum of Us, hinting at the three Oscar nominations that would define Crowe's later career. Of all Russell Crowe's films since The Sum of Us, none resemble it, setting it apart from his major hits like the Academy Award-winning Gladiator or the critically acclaimed American Gangster.

The Sum Of Us Features A Story Structure That Was Unusual For The Early 1900s

The Sum Of Us Was Remarkably Forward-Thinking For Its Era

Although a small movie in scale, The Sum of Us has an interesting narrative structure. The film tackles significant themes, and while it presents them in a conventional way, it frequently breaks the fourth wall. This offers viewers deeper insight into the characters' inner thoughts and emotions. Few films at the time adopted such a structure. It perfectly complements the contained plot and significant themes, making the fourth-wall breaks crucial for providing background and developing a meaningful connection with the audience. It's a bold choice and is quite jarring at first, yet it proves successful and adds to its appeal.

It's worth noting that The Sum of Us is an adaptation of a stage play, which explains these fourth-wall breaks. As you might expect, these frequent audience interactions are common and have proven effective in stage productions. Even though the film's production is vastly different from a stage performance, the effectiveness of these narrative breaks is remarkable and speaks to the film's achievement. Given the film's delicate plot and opposing character motivations, these can be difficult to convey naturally through dialogue. Instead, this structure offers an engaging way to deliver crucial information without feeling too forced.

Beyond its unique elements, The Sum of Us also presented a different overarching story for its era. It gained widespread affection on release, and far beyond, because it was one of the rare LGBTQ+ films from the early 90s that didn't focus on AIDS or depict negative parental reactions. For many, it offered a much-needed sense of relief, serving as a vital piece of media for the LGBTQ+ movement as well as the protection of its communities. Few films at the time offered positive depictions of same-sex relationships, making this movie's inclusion of lead stars in such roles particularly important.

The Sum Of Us Provides A Heartwarming Portrayal Of ive Parents

Jeff And Harry Are The Most Important Element In The Sum Of Us

Ultimately, Jeff and Harry's mutual understanding is the vital force driving the film. Not only is Harry completely comfortable with his son's sexuality, but his father is also noticeably overly enthusiastic about helping him find a partner, which Jeff appears to be struggling with greatly. This holds true even when it creates friction between Harry and his new partner, who immediately rejects Jeff despite Harry's clear desire for them to get along. This ultimately establishes the foundations for the entire film, making subsequent events all the more poignant and heartbreaking when they do eventually unfold.

It could have been quite easy for this to undermine the affectionate relationship between Crowe and Thompson's characters, but instead, Greg's parental rejection adds depth and powerfully underscores the importance of loving and respecting your child unconditionally.

While Jeff finds acceptance from his father, his love interest, Greg, isn't as fortunate. His partner simply can't understand how Jeff can be so open with his father, which is what causes the conflict in the narrative. It could have been quite easy for this to undermine the affectionate relationship between Crowe and Thompson's characters, but instead, Greg's parental rejection adds depth and powerfully underscores the importance of loving and respecting your child unconditionally. While it appears to be a counterpoint to the film's overall presentation, it is essential to The Sum of Us, and its narrative as a whole.