Australia’s crime and its underworld are wealthy sources full of story ideas, but while TV audiences have been recently spoilt with the likes of Underbelly and East West 101 moviegoers have hardly received the same treatment. The same seems to apply with ethnic representations; characters with European backgrounds largely outweigh those of Middle Eastern descent. With Sydney’s drug scene as the focus of Cedar Boys we see young Lebanese-Australians enter the criminal world to make a quick buck – but it’s clear that they’re not the bad guys.

So are Tarek (Les Chantery) and mates Nabil (Buddy Dannoun) and Sam (Waddah Sari) Muslim? “What does it matter?” Exactly. They’re just three Aussie guys doing what they do. While Serhat Caradee’s breakout film does draw on some masculine, and perhaps ethnic stereotypes – the flashy Subaru cars, pumping the hard r&b, checking out girls – he handles the ups and downs of these three men evenly to show that there are stereotypes with everybody wherever you go. The choice to steal drugs and sell them isn’t for the cred, or for the thrill; for Tarek, whose job as a panel-beater isn’t enough, it’s simply to bail his brother out of jail. How Caradee weaves the story provides the most insight as culture differences come into the fore. As guys in their mid-20s, the group all have ideas of what they want in life. Tarek’s desire for something besides going to clubs with the same type of women leads him to stray from the norm of his shaped cultural existence. What he finds is initial resistance from Nabil and Sam amid racial tension in a Sydney still affected by 2005’s Cronulla riots. Gladly, Caradee doesn’t linger on this unnecessarily and focuses on the guilt that stems from their poor decisions. Amongst this, Tarek meets ‘Aussie girl’ Amie (Rachael Taylor), whose differences lead the boys into unfamiliar and profitable territory.

Drugs have been portrayed as a deal-breaker in Aussie films before (see Candy) and in Cedar Boys, while Caradee keeps us at a distance he lets us see enough to suggest that the drugs are really the foundation of a one-sided relationship. The film is sad not just because of the boys’ situation (most notably Tarek’s loss of direction), but because we’re reminded that some women feel they need the security of a substance to feel normal. Exploring the idea that it’s not delinquents but those with stable jobs that want the drugs makes the theme of materialism come full circle – the boys feel they need the money almost as much as these women feel they need the coke. It’s a sick, sad world, and Caradee shows us exactly that. The film feels real and gritty as we’re given the bare essentials, parallel to how dealers distribute their product. Filmed on the newest of digital cameras, grainy and shaky shots go hand in hand to create an awkward and tense world where everyone is kept on their toes. The tight narrative is simple but effective and the three newcomers stand their ground with Taylor, Martin Henderson and Daniel Amalm.

Verdict

If it’s Underbelly you’re looking for Cedar Boys isn’t it, but while not a gruelling watch Caradee creates a loaded and even story that shows another part of Australia’s dark side.

[Rating: 4/5]

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