All About E

All About E is a 2015 Australian romantic mystery and drama film from writer-director Louise Wadley. The film stars Mandahla Rose in the title role as Elodie, known as “E,” who is a gifted and enigmatic DJ in Sydney. The film also features Brett Rogers as Matt and Julia Billington as Trish.

All About E is a complex, emotional journey, navigating relationships, sexuality, identity, and a thrilling adventure featuring a great treasure. The movie is packed with intrigue, passion, and soulful exploration of personal struggle and discovery, amidst a palpably tense criminal chase.

The storyline follows E, who is a renowned DJ in the Sydney underground scene. By days, she works as a courier for cash to sustain her life. However, despite her reputation for being a bit of a playgirl on the scene, she is deeply solitary and discreet about her sexuality. Elodie is also talented in clarinet playing, a passion she left behind when she ran away from her Arab-Australian family who live a world away in the Australian wilderness, because she couldn’t face her father’s disapproval of her lesbianism.

While E's daily life is seemingly monotonous, her world suddenly spins when she and her gay best-friend-and-roommate, Matt, stumble upon a bag full of money. Their panic-stricken decision to steal the money kick-starts a wild, suspenseful chase across Australia. They realize the money belongs to criminals who are desperate to get it back.

However, the very chase that brings chaos and danger to E's life also reopens old wounds and relationships she had left behind. Stranded and with no one to turn to, E and Matt find shelter in E's childhood home where her conservative parents live a tranquil life unaware of their daughter's true sexuality. E’s homecoming forces her to confront her past, her cultural identity and her long-lost love, a woman named Trish.

Trish, portrayed by Julia Billington, is E's old flame. She too was E’s companion from her musical days and is still living in the same small town, carrying her own set of secrets and regrets. The unexpected reunion between E and Trish rekindles sparks, reopening old wounds and stirring up emotions. As the story unfolds, omnipresent threats from the chasing criminals meet with the emotional turmoil from both E and Trish, allowing the film to unravel different shades of love, friendship, and self-realization.

All About E is more than a simple run-chase thriller; it's a rich, intense exploration of personal growth and acceptance, featuring a lead character who must learn to face her hidden fears and admit her true self. The scenic, wide roads across the Australian outback add an additional texture to the narrative, offering a contrasting backdrop to the gritty, intense storyline played out against it.

Mandahla Rose shines in her role as E, bringing depth and complexity to a character torn between her past and present, her love, and her identity. Rose's captivating performance pairs perfectly with the nuanced portrayals by Brett Rogers and Julia Billington.

The film is a trailblazer in its representation of lesbian characters, exploring complex themes such as hidden sexuality, societal pressure, cultural clash, and personal acceptance, thus breaking stereotypes while portraying the LGBT community.

All About E serves to be equally thrilling and touching, skillfully exploring a confluence of emotion, adventure, identity, and love. From dynamic, well-rounded characters to the lush cinematography to the fast-paced and soulful plot, it is a journey viewers won't want to miss. A sound score with a thematic mix of EDM and classical tunes adds a rhythmic layer to the film's narrative dynamics, making it an engaging and emotive viewing experience.

In conclusion, All About E is an intense romantic mystery drama. The movie provides a sensitive portrayal of cultural tension, personal dilemmas, and a search for self-hood and love in a perilous and challenging journey. It's a multi-layered story expertly told, combining intense chase sequences, heartfelt emotional moments and subtle social commentary.-------