Hear My Eyes: 'Two Hands'

Overview

UPDATE, January 18, 2022: MIFF's Hear My Eyes: Two Hands screenings were originally meant to take place in August 2021; however, the festival moved online due to lockdown and these sessions are now being held in January 2022. This article has been updated to reflect that change.

Whenever you hear Powderfinger's 'These Days', do you instantly imagine a fresh-faced Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne? If so, congrats — you've seen one of the best Australian films of the 90s, and one of the best Aussie movies in general, too. The song played a significant part in Two Hands, but you mightn't hear it at the Melbourne International Film Festival's big-screen session of the classic flick. It's screening at the fest's regular Hear My Eyes gigs — playing out of season in January 2022 due to 2021's COVID-19 chaos — which pairs must-see features with a reimagined score that's also played live on the night.

Doing the honours this time around: The Murlocs. So, you'll be watching them bust out their rhythm and blues sounds as Gregor Jordan's (Dirt Music) exceptional crime film unfurls. They're taking to the stage at The Astor Theatre for four sessions across Saturday, January 29 (at 6pm and 9pm) and Sunday, January 30 (at 3pm and 6pm) and, unsurprisingly, these sessions are set to prove mighty popular ticket-wise.

Need a refresher on the movie? Haven't seen it yet, somehow? It follows Jimmy (the one and only Ledger), an ex–street kid and strip-club bouncer who is charged with delivering some cash for his boss (Bryan Brown, Hungry Ghosts). That doesn't turn out as planned, so soon he's on the run — alongside Alex (Byrne, worlds away from her recent role in Physical), the girl of his dreams.