Something Cult, Foreign-Language or Indie #34: Garage Days (2002).

Meet Freddy (Kick Gurry), a twenty-something record store employee and aspiring rocker. He's been going through the motions, hopping back and forth between girls and pubs until he one day realises it's now or never, so he starts an indie rock group. Playing rhythm guitar he recruits three like-minded friends: his abrasive student girlfriend Tania (Pia Miranda) on bass guitar, hopeless romantic Joe (Brett Stiller) as the lead axeman and pill-popping Luce (Chris Sadrinna) on drums. For guidance they have bumbling roadie Brunpo (Russell Dykstra) and Joe's old rocker dad Kevin (Andy Anderson, basically just playing himself).

They all want the band to succeed, but conflict brews when Freddy develops a crush on Joe's imperious girlfriend Kate (Maya Stange), who's now having Joe's baby after they fucked in a cemetery. Now Freddy and his crew must resolve all their differences (musical and personal) if they want to get a deal with lecherous label executive Shad Kern (Marton Csokas) and play at the Homebake Festival.

Garage Days (2002) is visionary Aussie director Alex Proyas' paean to rock music and youth, and what a wildly funny, energetic ride it is. The four leads have convincing chemistry and they all make their characters feel sincere and relatable, like types you'd find jamming in any Australian pub band aiming for something more. The screenplay may seem stuffed with rock clichés but I don't care about

that because it gives the whole movie a real honesty; let's face it, those clichés are unquestionably true. Proyas infuses it throughout with vibrancy and psychedelic visuals more electric than the band's guitars, especially in an hilarious dinner scene with Tania's parents and one where Freddy's disgust for poker machines culminates in an act that would make Tim Freedman proud, and naturally there's an awesome hard rock soundtrack.

But above everything it's a coming-of-age tale, and that's actually its greatest strength. As it shows, even if you reach the pinnacle of your industry, you'll never forget your Garage Days.