Good Man, A (ATOM Study Guide)

A struggling Australian farmer, his quadriplegic wife and their plans to open a brothel in a small country town.'

This tagline might sound melodramatic, and indeed A Good Man does capture the ebb and flow of human experience characteristic of the melodrama genre, but it is not a fictional work. Instead it is a profoundly moving documentary about Chris and Rachel Rohrlach of Inverell in northern New South Wales and their family and friends. The documentary is a remarkable example of director Safina Uberoi's self-asserted guiding ethos in filmmaking, which is to 'tell the truth'.

This study guide provides a framework for discussion and writing along with teaching and learning material, a running sheet and classroom activities to help teachers and students develop an understanding of life in regional Australia, the role of family in this context, and a poignant personal story of commitment and love. Filmed over a year and covering a fourteen-year marriage, this film is a portrait of a family that has all the best human ingredients possible.

There is a full-length version of A Good Man and a shorter television version. While this study guide is largely informed by the full-length version, all of the activities and commentary applies equally to both. There is a section of the guide that invites teachers and students to think about these different versions.

Curriculum links

A Good Man is suitable for senior secondary students studying: English, SOSE / HSIE / Social Education, Philosophy, Psychology and Media Studies.