Some significant revelations can arrive late in life. When a film adapts a play, the setting tends to be tightly controlled. However, movies have an advantage because they can expand their screenplay into the real world, something stage plays are limited by with their artificial backdrops. And naturally, films can reach audiences worldwide through digital platforms, while live theater is restricted to a local audience. That’s how I imagine this play became a motion picture—importantly, it received government funding and also won several Australian Academy Awards. It's a comedy-drama centered around cancer, with a road trip element woven in. The story follows Rex, a 70-year-old cab driver from Broken Hill. He’d never left his town until he was diagnosed with cancer, prompting him to drive 3,000 kilometers to Darwin seeking medical help. Near the end of his life, he encounters strangers and experiences new things for the first time. Ultimately, this film is about his final and most meaningful experience at the close of his journey. I enjoy films that evoke emotion; I chose this one because it had been a while since I’d truly *felt* something during a movie. I hoped it would satisfy my desire, but it didn't quite manage to. To me, it was an acceptable film in the first half, although it improved as it progressed. The beginning felt slow and somewhat lifeless; the cast was unfamiliar to me. It took some time to adjust to a different accent after watching so many Hollywood films, because we don’t often watch Australian movies, and comedic styles vary by region. > "You want everything to be black and white, but it's not. It's gray." The best part was the introduction of Tilly and Julie. One is Aboriginal, and the other is British; they join Rex on his journey. They are key to driving the story forward, as their perspectives become a subplot within the narrative. Without them, the film would have been pretty forgettable. The ending wasn’t ideal; there were several possible conclusions, but they opted for an ambiguous resolution. As a road movie, I also expected to see beautiful Australian landscapes, which weren't really showcased. I understand that was likely intentional to avoid distracting from the main plot, as this was one of those films where it took time for the characters to develop. Even as it approached its conclusion, their character development continued. What disappointed me most about the film was how different it was from typical cancer movies; specifically, it wasn’t very strong in depicting the characters' emotions. It certainly won’t make you cry. Like one of the lines at the beginning that says 'everyone gets cancer', the movie felt too casual, as if it were a commonplace occurrence. However, the way the story unfolds and draws you in is remarkable. I hesitate to recommend it, but it’s still a worthwhile film if you're okay with what I’ve mentioned—the lacking elements. 6½/10

Source on TMDB