Alicia I love this movie so much

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

SnoopyStyle Mary (Romola Garai) is starving and steals food from a lady on a picnic. She is transported to the penal colony of Botany Bay in Australia along with other petty criminals like Will Bryant (Alex O'Loughlin). Idealistic Lt Ralph Clarke (Jack Davenport) takes pity on Mary and takes care of her. She lets out that she's pregnant from another jailer and he's taken aback by rumors of possible moral impropriety. At the colony, Will becomes the only fisherman and marries Mary. Together they start a family. However the colony is hit with riot, rapes, drought and starvation. Mary seduces Ralph in a plan to steal the only sea-worthy boat and supplies as the group of outlaws escape the colony under Gov. Phillip (Sam Neill)'s harsh rule.Mary Bryant is a wonderful character daringly performed by Romola Garai. I'm conflicted about the story. It's not correct historically and I don't think it works dramatically. It would flow better to fictionalize the story even more. The first part is amazing. The last half of the second part struggles with various turns and slower parts. It's a great character in a historical drama.

justsodevo its funny because we are watchingthe episodes at schooland we have just got up to thebit where its the night of the escape and they are rooting in the bed. oh my goshhilarious. and the rape fest scene was crazy but really weird. butfunny. the teacher saidto remember were we were up to and everyonesaid 'yer we will.....the good bit!'. its funny because she's just going at it and hes like rolling hiseyes into the back of his head i mean of course hes enjoying it becauseshe is pretty good

bardsleys This was an excellent and entertaining movie, with convincing costumes and settings. The depiction of the horror of the sea voyages, the appalling nature of life in the convict settlement (scarcely better for the overseeing officials then for the convicts) and the relative luxury and colour of life in the Dutch colony of Timor were all powerfully vivid and evoked a strong sense of place and time. However, too perfect teeth are a recurring difficulty in period movies! The casting of the main characters was first rate, with Romola Garai as Mary shedding the fragility and innocence we saw in 'I Capture the Castle', and displaying considerable depth and emotional strength. Jack Davenport's outstanding performance as one of the marine officers was characterised by moral ambivalence and confusion in someone half a world away from his cultural certainties. Alex O'Loughlin as Will Bryant was a very effective counterweight to Davenport, giving a compelling account of a convicted Cornish smuggler and fisherman struggling within his own clear if unconventional moral framework. This fine team were supported by equally strong performances from the rest of the cast. Authenticity of detail of costume and setting was not however matched by authenticity of narrative – the script takes liberties with events, relationships and the fates of some characters. Although much is not known about Mary's life, some known facts were abused! However the main thrust of Mary's story retains its integrity and the movie provides a welcome testament to an otherwise neglected extraordinary figure from English – and Australian - history.

farside8 This miniseries managed to capture the absolute desperate living conditions that not only the convicts but at times, the officers had to endure in sailing to Australia and attempting to set up a colony (particularly given the initial organisation skills of the latter was lacking). I appreciated the realism portrayed - the starvation, unbearable heat, lack of comfortable living conditions, the overcrowdedness etc etc - not to mention watching the uniforms of the officers going from pristine white and red to a dirty, shabby dull as the story unfolded. From these circumstances arises the sheer determination of Mary Bryant to somehow escape from this life - using whatever means necessary to do so. I thought Jack Davenport was the stand out in this film and Romola Garai certainly portrayed a determined, high spirited character, even if there were times it was hard to like her very much. Recommended if you want to glean some understanding into the life and times of convict settlement.