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Redball
Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities
Movie propaganda
Two detectives (Belinda McClory, John Brumpton) are assigned to solve a series of grisly murders of children committed by a killer dubbed "Mr Creep". However, when their investigation leads them towards someone in their own squad room as the killer, the female detective edges on a total breakdown as she loses faith in her fellow officers. The film explores the decadence and corruption that exists in the police force.
Persons of interest
- Belinda McClory .... Detective JJ Wilson
- John Brumpton .... Detective Robbie Walsh
- Frank Magree .... Detective Chris Hill
- Peter Docker .... Detective Lamz Fry
- Anthea Davis .... Detective Toni Johnston
- Neil Pigot .... Detective Bingo Wright
- Damien Richardson .... Detective Rix Dixakos
- James Young .... Detective Maxie Malleson
- Robert Morgan .... Senior Detective Mike Brown
- Pauline Terry-Beitz .... Dr Rose Edwards
- Daniel Wyllie .... Ronny Spinks
- Chris Hatzis .... Alan De Leon
- Jon Hewitt .... Screenwriter
- Jon Hewitt .... Director
Cinematic intelligence sources
Intelligence analyst
Special Agent Matti
Theatrical report
Woo hoo!
Imagine The Kingdom 2 and Head on mixed in with The interview. Then pump up the volume.
Written and directed by Jon Hewitt (creator of Bloodlust, the only Australian film to be banned in Britain), Redball is in yer face in a way that makes even Head on seem a little reserved. It is deep, dark, dirty, dangerous and delicious. My regular readers will recall my little contretemps with Bill and Ben the CIB men, the one which forever altered his perception about the boys and girls in blue. This film does more than reinforce those (shall we call them) negative perceptions, it damn well makes me feel like I had a picnic in the park.
Redball is the underside of a rock you don't want to lift up. You know what's under there, you know it's gonna be icky, but that never stopped anyone from doing it, hey?
Belinda and John (and all the other actors playing coppers) are all intensely damaged. Er... I mean that the characters they portray are all intensely damaged. Too many years crawling through too much dirt. That's something the Australian film industry can be proud of: its ability to find the worst in any situation. Even a trashy family Christmas comedy like Crackers has a nasty edge to it. That's what makes this film so good. Innocence exists only to be destroyed.
If you like Water rats, Blue heelers or The Bill, then this is probably not the film for you. However, if you like crime, crud and corruption, Redball will be just your cup of Victoria Bitter (great product placement!).
Security censorship classification
MA 15+ (Medium level violence, medium level coarse language, adult themes)
Surveillance time
91 minutes (1:31 hours)
Not for public release in Australia before date
Film: 29 April 1999
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Police slang
- Beak: Judge or Magistrate.
- Chicken hawk: Pedophile whose penchant is for boys.
- Clean: Constable fresh out of training.
- D: Detective.
- Dog: 1. Underworld informant working for police. 2. To make allegations against one's fellow officers. 3. To keep someone under surveillance.
- Dog house: To be in the bad books with one's superiors.
- Floater: Body in the water whose advanced state of decomposition makes it float.
- Fit up: To create incriminating circumstances.
- Freddy: Police identification badge.
- Hunt: To find young girls to blackmail into sexual favours.
- Knock: To murder someone.
- Load up: To plant incriminating evidence.
- Laugh: Cash payment for corrupt activities.
- Redball: A high-priority case which generally places investigating officers under extreme pressure.
- Rock spider: Pedophile whose penchant is for very young children.
- Roll over: To give evidence against one's fellow officers.
- Scrum down: Meeting of detectives to compare notes and align stories.
- SOC: Scene of the crime.
- Stook: Hiding place for contraband like drugs or firearms.
- Stooge: Underworld informant working for police.
- Suit: Lawyer.
