paper planes movie review - Aussieboyreviews

ARE THERE LOTS OF COMPETITION THEMES IN PAPER PLANES?

This family drama about a paper planes competition is determined and delightful, but also has powerful grief themes. Paper Planes is a well-designed and constructed story, which kids will obviously enjoy.

Storyline

After Australian schoolboy Dylan picks up the art of crafting paper planes out of single sheets of paper, he travels to Japan to compete in a paper plane flying competition.

Movie Images

Movie details

Director: Robert Connolly
Cast: Ed Oxenbould, Sam Worthington, Ena Imai, David Wenham, Deborah Mailman, Nicholas Bakopoulos-Cooke, Julian Dennison
Writer: Robert Connolly, Steve Worland
Release Date (Australia): 15 January 2015
Runtime: 96 minutes/1h 36m
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Australia, Japan
Language: English

CONTENT GUIDE (WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS)

Themes (G)

The film includes thematic material such as bullying, death and grief.

Violence (G)

A character is pushed down stairs by another character, resulting in an implicit sprained wrist.

Coarse Language (G)

There is infrequent use of the words “hell” and “damn”.

Sex (G)

The film includes very mild sexual innuendo.

mpaa rating

NR (Not Rated)

Aussie boy's thoughts

Paper Planes is mainly just your average big-hearted look at a unique world-records competition, but it also sheds some light on grief. This appealing tale best for children and families stars Ed Oxenbould as a schoolboy who randomly picks up a passion for the art of making a neat plane out of a sheet of paper. His character eventually ends up taking a part in serious paper plane flying competitions.

This Australian drama film involves and features everything a child would want and should typically get in a film. There’s obviously the competitive aspect leading the way, but there’s also other significant elements such as friends, family, bullies and also grief. There’s simply no reason a child won’t be entertained by this positive-messaged movie centred around the average don’t-give-up theme.

Something that seems to be overlooked and unnoticed especially considering it’s a young kids’ movie is the depiction of real grief. The entire cast is memorable and very Aussie, but Sam Worthington delivers the greatest performance as the brief character at the side who spends his days unmotivated and grieving over his wife’s death. This section of Paper Planes is incredibly realistic and well-constructed.

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