Better Man (miniseries)

Better Man is an Australian television biopic mini-series which originally screened on SBS TV in July 2013,[1] and replayed in February 2014.[2] The four-part series was produced by Fremantle Media Australia in association with Bravado Productions. It was written and directed by Khoa Do and Produced by Stephen Corvini. It starred David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Claudia Karvan and newcomer Remy Hii. According to SBS, Better Man had the most "star studded lineup" in the network's history.

For the Japanese television series, see Betterman (TV series).

Better Man
Screenplay byKhoa Do
Directed byKhoa Do
StarringRemy Hii
Jordan Rodrigues
David Wenham
Bryan Brown
Claudia Karvan
Music byMatteo Zingales
Country of originAustralia
Original language(s)English
No. of episodes4
Production
Producer(s)Stephen Corvini
CinematographyPeter A. Holland ACS
Editor(s)Rodrigo Balart
Production company(s)Fremantle Media Australia
DistributorSBS International
Release
Original releaseJuly 2013

Synopsis

Better Man is based on the true story of Van Tuong Nguyen, a 25-year-old Vietnamese-Australian man who was arrested in Singapore, convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death in 2005.

The series follows the story of a young man who had a tough but loving upbringing with his twin brother and devoted mother. The story culminates in an extraordinary three-year legal battle to save the life of Nguyen, led by Julian McMahon, a Melbourne lawyer, and Lex Lasry QC, a Melbourne barrister.[3][4]

Cast

Production

Development

Better Man was researched and developed by Stephen Corvini, Khoa Do and Timothy Hobart for over three years prior to the series’s production. Van’s lawyer Julian McMahon was a consultant on the miniseries as were Van’s closest confidantes prior to his execution, his best friends Kelly Ng, Bronwyn Lew, and Goldgan Ng. All four had been present during Van’s final visit.

Better Man was written by Do based on extensive interviews, Van’s personal letters, court transcripts, his arrest statements and his clemency appeal.

Filming

Production and filming took place in Melbourne, Australia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Oct - Dec 2012. Scenes depicting Singapore Changi Airport, Changi Prison and the courtroom in the High Court of Singapore, among other settings, were all filmed in Melbourne with the Cambodian and Vietnamese scenes being filmed in Vietnam.[6]

Controversy

Production and filming of this mini-series was not without controversy. Van Tuong Nguyen's family had stated that the movie had "reopened old wounds", and his mother, Kim, had declined to contribute to the development of the project and called for the film maker to drop the project.[7][8] Additionally, Lex Lasry, who acted as a lawyer for Nguyen prior to his execution in 2005, condemned the series, calling it an "untruthful soap opera" and saying that it continued to cause stress to the family. Subsequently, SBS inserted a disclaimer stating that the Nguyen family "had no direct participation" in filming of the movie.[9]

Reception

Better Man received glowing reviews, with critics commenting on the exceptional performances of the cast and the gripping nature of Do's storytelling. David Knox in TV Tonight called the show "the best local drama of the year",[10] Dianne Butler in The Herald Sun praised it as "the most gripping TV drama of the year",[11] The Australian's Lyndall Crisp selected Better Man as its "pick of the week" and mentioned that Better Man was "harrowing but well worth watching".[12] The Sydney Morning Herald's Gordon Farrer also selected Better Man as its "Show of the Week" and praised the production, stating that Better Man's "script is sharp and moving; the direction is confident and effective. This is a moving story that gains power from the telling. Compulsory viewing".[13] TV Tonight also listed Better Man in its "Top 5 Shows of 2013", and ranked it number one in Australian television shows for the year.[14]

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See also

References
  1. Airdate: Better Man, TV Tonight, 19 June 2013
  2. Better Man replay, TV Tonight, 1 February 2014
  3. http://www.sbs.com.au/sbsinternational/programs/view/id/760/t/Better-Man
  4. Hardie, Giles (7 July 2013). "Burke recalls failed plea as 'worst day' of his career". Sun-Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  5. David Wenham proud of Better Man's message, TV Tonight, 30 July 2013
  6. Making Better Man, mUmBRELLA, 22 July 2013
  7. PM - SBS criticised for Van Nguyen hanging film 24/07/2013, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
  8. TV drama on executed Aussie drug trafficker sparks controversy, The Straits Times
  9. Better Man on SBS | Judge condemns Nguyen execution drama, The Age
  10. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/07/better-man.html
  11. http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/hometime-better-man-school-formals-and-easy-butter-chicken/story-e6frfmyi-1226685072072
  12. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/rev-free-bites/story-fn9n8gph-1226681519657
  13. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/show-of-the-week-better-man-20130717-2q2tu.html
  14. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/12/my-top-5-shows-of-2013.html
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