Why is everyone so confused about this movie?

I'm reading a lot of comments from people confused at the lack of morality of Kev's character, confused about the reaction of chook (why didn't he kill his dad? Why didn't he run away?).

Are people so conditioned to a Hollywood formula? Does there have to be a hero? Does there have to be a villian? Does there have to be a victim? Does there have to be a morality for every movie? Does there have to be some blockbuster action, thrilling soundtracks, romance?

To say that Kev should have treated his kid well goes against the whole point of the character. If he was a good father there would be no story. If he didn't actually love his child, there would be no story.

As for Kev turning into the action hero: here is an abused child who has NO-ONE else in his life. He tries his best to work things out, but has no good model on how to live and has no choice to trust his father. As for the suggestion that he killing his father... He's a kid for christ's sake! Even if he was a teenager, it's not a simple case of pulling the trigger. Who honestly wants to kill anyone?

I think these sort of characters are really plausible. You meet a violent man like Kev every once in a while and you wonder what happens in their lives. You meet people all the time who really aren't cut out to be parents and are too proud to get help - some of them still try to do well, some of them don't even bother.

I don't think it's a great movie, but it is a good one: an interesting story, interesting characters, nicely shot and great actors.

My only gripe is that it's yet another terrific Australian movie that is frankly depressing. It's a little bit of a cliché to have dark Australian outback stories. I would love some more upbeat movies.