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Find sources: "Bootmen" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) 2000 Australian film Bootmen Theatrical release poster Directed by Dein Perry Written by Steve Worland Hilary Linstead Dein Perry Produced by Hilary Linstead Antonia Barnard Starring Adam Garcia Sophie Lee Sam Worthington Cinematography Steve Mason Edited by Jane Moran Music by Cezary Skubiszewski Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures Release dates 5 October 2000 (2000-10-05) (Australia) 6 October 2000 (2000-10-06) (United States) Running time 92 minutes Countries Australia United States Language English Box office $2.7 million ***Bootmen***, known as ***Tap Dogs*** in Japan, is a 2000 Australian [romantic comedy](/source/Romantic_comedy) film directed by [Dein Perry](/source/Dein_Perry). It stars [Adam Garcia](/source/Adam_Garcia), [Sophie Lee](/source/Sophie_Lee), and [Sam Worthington](/source/Sam_Worthington) in his film debut. ## Plot Sean and Mitchell are young adult brothers, having grown up in the rugged Australian steel city town of Newcastle. The father is a tough coal miner and they have no mother. Mitchell is a small-time criminal, while Sean dreams of being a professional dancer. Their father does not approve of Sean's dancing, so he hides his passion. Sean meets local hairdresser Linda at a dance class and falls in love with her. Things look promising between them, but Sean leaves to make his mark. Mitchell confesses his love for her and she thinks Sean has left, so they end up getting drunk together and having a one-night stand. Meanwhile, Sean gets a role as a dancer in a show. The star's girlfriend flirts with him and the star gives Sean a difficult time, culminating with Sean outdancing him. They get into a shouting match. Sean punches the star and is fired. Sean returns to Newcastle and tries to pick up where he left off with Linda, only to be told that she is pregnant with Mitchell's child. He breaks ties with both Linda and Mitchell, creates his own dance troupe and plans to show the people of Newcastle what they can do. Their father's work is closing, and the workers need money to retrain so Sean plans a benefit show. Mitchell gets in trouble with local thugs and escapes on his motorbike. They later catch him in a warehouse and he plunges to his death. The police immediately charge the culprit. Sean, depressed over the death of his brother and that he was unforgiving, thinks about quitting until he finds a tool that Mitchell designed, solving a technical problem with the show. Realizing that his brother believes in him, Sean is determined to honor his memory. The show goes on. They charge $10 a head and estimate 5,000 patrons will attend the event, even Sean's proud Dad who now accepts his son as a dancer and tells Sean even his mother would be happy. Sean realises his dream of being a respected dancer, reconciles with Linda and pledges to help take care of his brother's child. ## Cast - [Adam Garcia](/source/Adam_Garcia) as Sean Okden - [Sophie Lee](/source/Sophie_Lee) as Linda - [Sam Worthington](/source/Sam_Worthington) as Mitchell Okden - [Richard Carter](/source/Richard_Carter_(actor)) as Gary Okden - Andrew Kaluski as Colin - [Christopher Horsey](/source/Christopher_Horsey) as Angus - Lee McDonald as Derrick - [Matt Lee](/source/Matt_Lee_(dancer)) as Johnno - William Zappa as Walter - [Susie Porter](/source/Susie_Porter) as Sara - [Anthony Hayes](/source/Anthony_Hayes_(actor)) as Huey - [Justine Clarke](/source/Justine_Clarke) as Kim - Grant Walmsley - Andrew Doyle - Bruce Venables - [Tony Butterfield](/source/Tony_Butterfield) - [Craig Anderson](/source/Craig_Anderson_(actor)) ## Production The film was funded by the [Australian Film Finance Corporation](/source/Australian_Film_Finance_Corporation). Production took place from 19 June to 18 August 1999 in [Sydney](/source/Sydney) and [Newcastle](/source/Newcastle%2C_New_South_Wales). It was shot by cinematographer [Steve Mason](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Mason_(cinematographer)&action=edit&redlink=1). It was the debut film of Dein Perry, who was previously involved with stage shows such as *[Tap Dogs](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tap_Dogs&action=edit&redlink=1)* and *[Steel City](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steel_City_(show)&action=edit&redlink=1)*. ## Release The film was distributed by [Fox Searchlight Pictures](/source/Fox_Searchlight_Pictures), and was released in Australia on 5 October 2000 and It is also known as *Tap Dogs* in Japan. ## Awards and nominations ### Awards won - [Australian Cinematographers Society](/source/Australian_Cinematographers_Society) (2001): - Award of Distinction (awarded to Feature Productions Cinema – Steve Mason) - [Australian Film Institute](/source/Australian_Film_Institute) (AFI) (2000): - Best Achievement in Cinematography: Steve Mason - Best Achievement in Costume Design: Tess Schofield - Best Achievement in Production Design: Murray Picknett - Best Achievement in Sound: David Lee, Laurence Maddy, Andrew Plain, Ian McLoughlin - Best Original Music Score: Cezary Skubiszewski - [Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards](/source/Film_Critics_Circle_of_Australia_Awards) (FCCA) (2001): - Best Cinematography: Steve Mason - Best Editing: Jane Moran - Best Music Score: Cezary Skubiszewski (tied with Edmund Choi for [The Dish](/source/The_Dish) (2000)). ### Award nominations - [Australian Film Institute](/source/Australian_Film_Institute) (AFI) (2000): - Best Achievement in Editing: Jane Moran - Best Film: Hilary Linstead - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Sam Worthington ## DVD release The film was released on home video on 27 February 2001 by [20th Century Fox Home Entertainment](/source/20th_Century_Fox_Home_Entertainment). ## Soundtrack The *Bootmen Soundtrack* was released by [RCA Victor](/source/RCA_Victor) in 2000 and composed by [Cezary Skubiszewski](/source/Cezary_Skubiszewski) and other various artists. 1. Rumble – [You Am I](/source/You_Am_I) 1. Opening Sequence – [Cezary Skubiszewski](/source/Cezary_Skubiszewski) 1. Strange Human Beings – [Regurgitator](/source/Regurgitator) 1. Tease Me – [Paul Kelly](/source/Paul_Kelly_(Australian_musician)) 1. My Family – [Banana Oil](/source/Banana_Oil) 1. Sign Post – [Grinspoon](/source/Grinspoon) 1. Love Theme – [Cezary Skubiszewski](/source/Cezary_Skubiszewski) 1. Radio Loves This – [Deborah Conway](/source/Deborah_Conway) 1. Hit Song – Custard 1. Giveway – [Supaskuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Supaskuba&action=edit&redlink=1) 1. Better Off Dead – [Grinspoon](/source/Grinspoon) 1. Don't It Get You Down – [Deadstar](/source/Deadstar) 1. Nothing on My Mind – [Paul Kelly](/source/Paul_Kelly_(Australian_musician)) 1. Nipple – [Icecream Hands](/source/Icecream_Hands) 1. Deeper Water – [Deadstar](/source/Deadstar) 1. Finale Part 2 – [Cezary Skubiszewski](/source/Cezary_Skubiszewski) 1. Shiver – [Oblivia](/source/Oblivia_(band)) 1. "[Even When I'm Sleeping](/source/Even_When_I'm_Sleeping)" – [Leonardo's Bride](/source/Leonardo's_Bride) 1. Junk – [You Am I](/source/You_Am_I) 1. Tap Forge – [Dein Perry](/source/Dein_Perry) ## Reception ### Box office *Bootmen* grossed $2,720,302 at the box office in Australia.[1] ### Critical reception On [review aggregator](/source/Review_aggregator) [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes), the film holds an approval rating of 39% based on 17 reviews, and an [average rating](/source/Weighted_arithmetic_mean) of 4.90/10.[2] On [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic), the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 14 critics.[3] ## See also - [Cinema of Australia](/source/Cinema_of_Australia) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["*Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110218045303/http://film.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/AA4_Aust_Box_office_report.pdf) (PDF). *Film.vic.gov.au*. Archived from [the original](http://film.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/AA4_Aust_Box_office_report.pdf) (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Bootmen (2000)"](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bootmen). *[Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes)*. Retrieved 14 May 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Bootmen Reviews"](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bootmen). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. Retrieved 14 May 2021. ## External links - [*Bootmen*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210584/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [*Bootmen*](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bootmen) at [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes) - [Bootman](https://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/bootmen) at Oz Movies v t e AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score 1975–2000 The Cars That Ate Paris / The Great McCarthy – Bruce Smeaton (1975) No Award (1976) The Picture Show Man – Peter Best (1977) The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith – Bruce Smeaton (1978) Mad Max – Brian May (1979) Manganinnie – Peter Sculthorpe (1980) Fatty Finn – Rory O'Donoghue and Grahame Bond (1981) The Man from Snowy River – Bruce Rowland (1982) Phar Lap – Bruce Rowland (1983) Street Hero – Garth Porter and Bruce Smeaton (1984) Rebel – Ray Cook, Chris Neal, Peter Best, Billy Byers, Bruce Rowland (1985) Young Einstein – William Motzing and Martin Armiger (1986) The Tale of Ruby Rose – Paul Schütze (1987) The Lighthorsemen – Mario Millo (1988) Dead Calm – Graeme Revell (1989) The Big Steal – Phil Judd (1990) Dingo – Michel Legrand and Miles Davis (1991) Romper Stomper – John Clifford White (1992) The Piano – Michael Nyman (1993) Traps – Douglas Stephen Rae (1994) Hotel Sorrento – Nerida Tyson-Chew (1995) Shine – David Hirschfelder (1996) Doing Time for Patsy Cline – Peter Best (1997) Oscar and Lucinda – Thomas Newman (1998) In a Savage Land – David Bridie (1999) Bootmen – Cezary Skubiszewski (2000) 2001–present The Dish – Edmund Choi (2001) Rabbit-Proof Fence – Peter Gabriel (2002) Japanese Story – Elizabeth Drake (2003) Somersault – Decoder Ring (2004) The Proposition – Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (2005) Suburban Mayhem – Mick Harvey (2006) The Home Song Stories – Antony Partos (2007) Unfinished Sky – Antony Partos (2008) Mao's Last Dancer – Christopher Gordon (2009) Animal Kingdom – Antony Partos and Sam Petty (2010) The Hunter – Andrew Lancaster, Michael Lira and Matteo Zingales (2011) Not Suitable for Children – Matteo Zingales and Jono Ma (2012) The Great Gatsby – Craig Armstrong (2013) The Railwayman – David Hirschfelder (2014) Mad Max: Fury Road – Tom Holkenborg (2015) Tanna – Antony Partos (2016) Lion – Volker Bertelmann and Dustin O'Halloran (2017) Ladies in Black – Christopher Gordon (2018) Judy and Punch – François Tétaz (2019) Babyteeth – Amanda Brown (2020) June Again – Christopher Gordon (2021) Falling for Figaro – Cezary Skubiszewski (2022) Talk to Me – Cornel Wilczek (2023) Better Man – Batu Sener (2024) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bootmen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootmen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootmen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.