Sunnyboy, The (ATOM Study Guide)

The Sunnyboy (Kaye Harrison, 2013) follows fifty-year-old Jeremy Oxley, the enigmatic front man of the much-lauded 1980s band The Sunnyboys, as he emerges from a thirty-year battle with schizophrenia.

Only recently stabilized with medication and now secure in a loving environment, the documentary follows Jeremy as he begins to unpick the confused thoughts and feelings he has about his painful past and the nature of his illness. Unsure of what is real and what has been misconstrued, Jeremy tentatively revisits relationships damaged by his illness, most significantly with his brother and fellow band member Peter. With the support of his partner Mary, Jeremy also struggles with the physical consequences of his illness and years of a destructive lifestyle as well as the many relationship challenges they face as they prepare to get married.

Told largely from his perspective, The Sunnyboy follows Jeremy as his confidence and wellbeing slowly grows and he begins to think about a return to the stage. An enlightening exploration of one family's experience of a misunderstood and stigmatised condition, The Sunnyboy is an inspiring story of hope, survival, and the healing power of love and optimism. It shines a light on the realities of a mental illness and the pressures of being a rock musician.

Curriculum Links:
The Sunnyboy would be an excellent film to show to middle and secondary school students across a number of subject areas, most notably Health and Physical Education, Psychology, Australian History and Media Studies.