For everyone Film review: Sweet As

While it seemed like roughly a bajillion teen movies featuring Molly Ringwald tumbled out of the US during the 1980s, care of John Hughes, the genre wasn’t quite as pronounced in Australia, though Puberty Blues and The Year My Voice Broke gave good face.

Flash forward four decades (yikes!) and we have a sterling new local entrant in writer/director and Nyul Nyul, Yawuru woman Jub Clerc’s luminous debut feature. Total Control lead Shantae Barnes-Cowan is grand as strong and silent type Murra, a young woman struggling in a fractious home until her cop brother (Mark Coles Smith) ships her onto an outback photography bus tour for troubled kids.

Joined by a stellar cast of young actors, including fellow talent-to-watch Pedrea Jackson (Crazy Fun Park), they might be as messed-up as Ringwald and co, but much like The Breakfast Club ensemble, you know the kids will be all right.

Bump star Carlos Sanson Jr is charming as ever as the group’s photography tutor and Murra’s secret crush, but it’s the majestic Pilbara Country that really steals the show