There is one thing all Australian films revolving around surfing can do, create this other dimension and relationship with the ocean. Bosch and Rockit taps into something about the ocean that speaks though it has no voice and something that feels though it has no heart. This alone pulls together this wild coming-of-age adventure set along the east coast of Australia.
Spending his days in the ocean rather than in the classroom Rockit (Rasmus King) passes away his time surfing. His Dad, Bosch (Luke Hemsworth) on the other hand, is tending to his farm. His main produce on the farm, is marijuana. When an uncontrollable bushfire comes roaring towards Bosch’s farm, he’s left with nothing to do but empty the contents of his safe and lay low.
That would have been fine if only days before Bosch’s friend and local policeman didn’t task him with selling a large quantity of cocaine. With the encroaching bushfire, Bosch lost the cocaine and a large sum of money to the fire. Thankfully he managed to escape unharmed.
Driving at a high speed to get out of town, he swings past the beach and collects Rockit. Not thinking, and wanting to protect his son’s innocence, he tells him they’re going on a long holiday to Byron Bay. Excited, Rockit accepts the Schrade with the understanding he can surf every day.
It doesn’t take long for the police to realise Bosch has skipped town. The fact made worse because the police chasing him are doing so for either the return of their drugs or the money Bosch made from the drugs. As neither happened, Bosch is forced to send Rockit to live with his mother while he goes into hiding.
Things didn’t go well with his mother, and Rockit is back with his father, who is still in hiding. This time it’s Rockit who has become the carer and sets his Dad on the right path.
The idea behind the story is based on actual events, a story about being on the run trying to shelter a child from all the wrongs of the world. Where the charm of this film comes to play is in how they’ve turned this story into a beautiful coming of age summer holiday. It takes the viewer along a stunning Australian coastline as the characters enjoy some hot chips and a sunset.
Bosch and Rockit is the brainchild of first-time Director Tyler Atkins. Not only is Atkins the Writer, Producer and Director of the film, but he also managed to film during a global pandemic. Perusing Atkins’s IMDB profile it states, “he has surfed and lived around the Australian beach culture since he was born”. It is this that made Atkins the perfect Director for such a film. You can feel that connection with the ocean. Atkins managed to make it a character itself using some stunning footage to show the true emotion such a character can add to a film.
Leading with a wonderful performance as Bosch is Luke Hemsworth (Westworld, Young Rock, Thor: Love and Thunder). Hemsworth plays the typical Aussie womaniser all too well. Surprisingly, he manages to add some layers to his persona, creating some rather emotional scenes as he navigates fatherhood and, for that fact, adulthood.
The biggest surprise is the performance of Rasmus King as Rockit. This is King’s first major motion picture having only played a part in the ABC series Barons. King has a classic sunkissed appearance you’d expect from an Australian surf town, along with that special Australian accent. Almost as if he was made for this part. For such a newcomer, King is able to deliver some heightened emotions you’d expect from a seasoned professional. The scene where he finally calls his father out on all the wrongs felt so natural and so raw, giving Hemsworth a run for his money.
Overall, Bosch and Rockit is many things. On one hand, it’s the real-life story of a man on the run from the police with his son in tow. On the other hand, it is the push and pulls that comes with a coming of age story. Together, along with the beautiful landscape of the Australian coastline, a score to accompany and the stunning cinematography Bosch and Rockit is a wonderful Aussie adventure. It will make you laugh, make you want to cry but most of all it will make you want a summer holiday.
