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Poster for Newcastle

Newcastle

You're only young forever once.

2008 · 1h 47m · UNRATED Drama, Romance
Directed by Dan Castle

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Overview

17-year old Jesse lives in the shadow of his older brother Victor's failure to become surfing's Next Big Thing. Even when he's in his natural habitat of magnificent surf breaks, his blue-collar future is brought home by the coal barges that constantly line his horizon. Jesse has the natural skills to surf his way out of this reality and onto the international circuit but can he overcome his equally natural ability to sabotage himself? A momentous weekend away with his mates that includes first love and tragedy leads him to discover what's really important, and also to the performance of a lifetime.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
61%
Tomatometer
Rotten

A glum and slack family drama, Newcastle is punctuated by bright bursts of dreamy surfing images, but not enough to make the film rewarding.

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Fresh

A beautiful film, charged with energy and sensitivity.

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Fresh

Slightly overlong but visually striking.

Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly
Fresh

Overall, [Castle] has captured what I remember of the fantasy of the classic Newcastle adolescence -- all day at the beach, string bikinis and juicy blond teenagers.

Ruth Hessey, MovieTime, ABC Radio National
Rotten

The drama is a very low-slung affair, with the interconnections between characters poised to supply us with the only reasons to watch, other than the bodies, the landscape and the water.

Variety Staff, Variety

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