Guy Hamilton (Gibson) is an ambitious Australian journalist on his first posting abroad. His routine assignment in Jakarta is turned upside down as locals become enamored of Sukarno. His guide in this land and on this journey of personal discovery is Billy Kwan, his dwarf photographer who introduces him to the mysterious British diplomat Jillian Bryant. Hamilton is curious about Bryant, who may or may not be a spy, and guardedly suspicious of Kwan, who also may or may not be a spy manipulating him. He could just be eccentric. The political crisis around Hamilton reaches its zenith at the same time as does the point at which he must make critical personal decisions.
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Linda Hunt won the Oscar for best supporting actress Oscar for, ironically, a role in which she played a man.
One of Gibson's best.
The review of this Movie prepared by ldpaulson
Journalist Guy Hamilton (Gibson) is afraid he's landed a boring assignment in Indonesia in 1965, but President Sukarno is cracking down on democratic elements there. With the help of Eurasian photographer Billy Kwan, who is also a dwarf (Hunt), Hamilton tracks the story as violence and anti-American sentiment mount. He also pursues a passionate affair with British foreign service employee and possible spy Jill Bryant (Weaver). The story
in this 1982 thriller directed by Australian Peter Weir is hard to follow and not entirely plausible, but Gibson and Weaver act with verve and look terrific doing it. Hunt won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
The review of this Movie prepared by David Loftus
