The Black Balloon

The Black Balloon

Normal is relative.

PG-13 2008 · 97 min · ★ 6.3 · Drama

Thomas is turning 16. His dad's in the army and they've just moved to a town in New South Wales; his mom is pregnant; his older brother, Charlie, who's autistic, has his own adolescent sexual issues. Thomas finds Charlie an embarrassment in public, so when Thomas is attracted to Jackie, a girl in his swim class, Charlie presents any number of obstacles when she drops by their house, when the three of them go for a walk, and during a family birthday dinner. Can Thomas find a way to enter the world of teen romance and still be his brother's keeper, or is Charlie's disability going to prove more than Thomas can handle?

Directed by Elissa Down · Written by Jimmy Jack

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Cast

Rhys Wakefield Thomas Mollison
Luke Ford Charlie Mollison
Toni Collette Maggie Mollison
Erik Thomson Simon Mollison
Gemma Ward Jackie Masters
Sarah Woods Woman Next Door
Sam Fraser Kid Next Door
Zelie Bullen Mother in Van
Anthony Phelan Mr. Masters
Deborah Piper Janet-Social Worker
Henry Nixon Trevor-Social Worker
Rebecca Massey Miss Babb

Make it a double feature

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