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Barracuda

ABC's new drama has uncovered a star on the rise in actor, Elias Anton.

2016-07-03_1728

ABC’s new 4 part drama Barracuda has uncovered a star on the rise in its lead actor, Elias Anton.

In 1998 writer Christos Tsiolkas saw young actor Alex Dimitriades deliver a tour de force performance in the film Head On, a clash of Greek culture, sexuality and hedonism. Blur your eyes whilst watching Barracuda and you could easily be looking at the ‘next Dimitriades’ emerging, in Elias Anton.

The story takes place at the fictional Blackstone College in Melbourne, 1996. Young Greek-Australian Danny Kelly (Anton) begins a scholarship where he pursues his elite skills as a swimmer.

“Faster, stronger, better,” becomes his personal mantra, with echoes of  Peter Weir’s Gallipoli.

Hungarian coach Frank Torma (Matt Nable) reminds him it’s the same pool where his idol Daniel Kowalski learned. He hopes to train him as one of 4 boys for the schools championships. But the existing squad of Martin Taylor (Benjamin Kindon), Wilco (Andrew Creer), Scooter (Rhys Mitchell) and Tsitsas (Joe Clocek) have other plans. They resent the “wog” newcomer muscling in on their turf and make life tough, both in and out of the pool.

At home Danny’s working-class parents are supportive of their athlete son. But he also overhears them quarrelling over their expectations.

“He’s gonna be one of the greats. He’s gonna be a champion,” his mother Stephanie (Victoria Haralabidou) insists.

“What if he doesn’t make it? What then?” his dad Neal (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) asks.

Fighting to fit in, Danny strikes out at schoolboy bullying, which lands him offside with his coach and a rival swimmer, Martin Taylor, whose society mother Samantha (Rachel Griffiths) has unrealistic expectations of her own son.

Meanwhile Danny’s friend Demet (Nicole Gulasekharam) offers counsel and a close bond, if never quite blossoming into romance.

Navigating Danny through everyone’s expectations Barracuda becomes a coming-of-age tale, principally tackling identity, but touching on class, sexuality, pressure and elite sports.

Elias Anton makes a striking television debut in the lead role. Gifted with strong, brooding eyes he is often quiet observer to noisy interplay, and is as much at ease with the emotional scenes as the physical demands of the role.

Dashing Benjamin Kindon ably counteracts in the complex role of both enemy and friend, whilst Matt Nable underplays the disciplined coach. Rachel Griffiths eats up the role of the snooty mother (complete with fake tan and lattes), protective of her son.

Special mention must go to Victoria Haralabidou and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, who strive to create a dimensional, loving family unit, with moments of genuine fragility.

Director Robert Connolly allows the camera to embrace the pool backdrop in this tale, from the Adonis bodies of his young cast to the aqua blue of the pool. There are slow motion and underwater scenes woven throughout, as choreographed visuals seek to immerse the viewer.

Perfectly timed before the Olympics, Barracuda taps into our affinity with the water, our national sporting obsession and the pursuit of identity, in all its rich diversity.

Barracuda premieres 8:40pm Sunday on ABC.

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