How to Make Gravy (film)
| How to Make Gravy | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Nick Waterman |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Edward Goldner |
| Edited by | Ahmad Halimi |
| Music by | Samuel Dixon |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Binge |
Release date |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
How to Make Gravy is a 2024 Australian drama film directed by Nick Waterman from a screenplay he co-wrote with Megan Washington, based on the 1996 song of the same name by Paul Kelly. It was produced by Warner Bros. International Australia. This was also the first original film to be released by the Australian streaming service Binge.[1][2] At the 2025 ARIA Music Awards the soundtrack won the Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album category.[3]
Synopsis
The film expands on the characters and stories detailed within the song's lyrics, which take the form of a letter from Joe writing from prison, four days before Christmas.[4]
Production
The film was produced on the Gold Coast, Queensland, with filming commencing in October 2023.[5]
Cast
- Daniel Henshall as Joe
- Jonah Wren Phillips as Angus (Joe & Rita's son)
- Brenton Thwaites as Dan (Joe's brother)
- Kate Mulvany as Stella (Joe's sister)
- Damon Herriman as Roger (Stella's husband)
- Agathe Rousselle as Rita (Joe's wife)
- Hugo Weaving as Noel
- Kieran Darcy-Smith as Red
- Brendan Maclean as Possum
- Megan Washington as Kelly
- Kim Gyngell as Murray (Joe & Stella's uncle)
- Eugene Gilfedder as Gary (Joe & Stella's uncle)
- Eloise Rothfield as Mary (Dan's daughter)
- Rose Statham as Frank (Joe & Rita's daughter)
- Izzy Westlake as Dolly (Joe & Rita's daughter)
Paul Kelly made a cameo appearance as a bus driver in the film.
Release
The film was originally set for release as a Christmas movie by Warner Bros in December 2023. That was delayed, and it was then released, by the Binge streaming service, on 1 December 2024.[4][6]
A trailer for the film was released on 9 October 2024.[7]
Reception
Garry Maddox, of The Sydney Morning Herald, praised the film, saying that it was an impressive expansion of the original song, with Henshall, Weaving and Herriman all providing moving performances. Maddox rated the film four out of five stars.[8]
In his review, Luke Buckmaster of The Guardian said that the film veered towards sentimentalism, and that it was a well-intentioned misfire. He rated the film two out of five stars.[9] Jenny Valentish, also of The Guardian, praised the production design, noting that it was almost impossible to pin the film down to a specific era, with its use of an earthy 70s colour palette, and the fashion and cars being 90s shabby.[10]
Soundtrack
| How to Make Gravy | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
| Released | 13 December 2024 |
| Label | Suitcase Records |
| Singles from How to Make Gravy | |
| |
A limited edition soundtrack was released on vinyl in December 2024.[12] At the 2025 ARIA Music Awards, the album won ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album.[13][14]
On 29 November 2024, three songs were released digitally; Electric Fields' "Dream On", Brendan Maclean's "Fine" and Beddy Rays' "Red Hot Chrissy".[15]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Little Drum" | Vince Guaraldi | Vince Guaraldi | 3:12 |
| 2. | "Red Hot Chrissy" | Jackson Van Issum, Lewis McKenna, Bradley O'Connor, Benjamin Wade, Matthew Cochran | Beddy Rays | 2:20 |
| 3. | "Christmas Time Is Here" | Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson | Vince Guaraldi | 3:47 |
| 4. | "Take Care of Business" | Andrew Benjamin Stround | Nina Simone | 2:05 |
| 5. | "The Hook" | Meg Washington, Mehdi Benjelloun | Meg Washington | 3:05 |
| 6. | "Dream On" | Meg Washington | Electric Fields & the Prison Choir | 3:51 |
| 7. | "Isolationism" | Ben Salter, C MacDonald | Ben Salter | 3:37 |
| 8. | "Fine" | Washington | Brendan Maclean & the Prison Choir | 3:36 |
| 9. | "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" | Charles Wesley | Vince Guaraldi | 1:54 |
| 10. | "How to Make Gravy" | Paul Kelly | Paul Kelly | 4:28 |
| Total length: | 34:44 | |||
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AACTA Awards | 7 February 2025 | Best Film | Schuyler Weiss, Hamish Lewis, Nick Waterman, Meg Washington, Michael Brooks | Nominated | [16] |
| Best Direction | Nick Waterman | Nominated | |||
| Best Lead Actor | Daniel Henshall | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Damon Herriman | Nominated | |||
| Hugo Weaving | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kate Mulvany | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay in Film | Meg Washington, Nick Waterman | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Music Score | Sam Dixon | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound | Craig Walmsley, Stuart Morton, Diego Ruiz, Sam Hayward | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design | Benjamin Fountain, Peter Kodicek | Nominated | |||
| Best Costume Design | Christina Validakis | Nominated | |||
| Best Casting | Nikki Barrett | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Song | "Fine" - Meg Washington, Brendan Maclean & The Prison Choir | Won | |||
| "Dream On" - Meg Washington, Electric Fields & The Prison Choir | Nominated | ||||
| Best Soundtrack | Meg Washington | Nominated | |||
| ARIA Music Awards | 19 November 2025 | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | How to Make Gravy – Various Artists | Won | [13][14] |
| Screen Music Awards | October 2025 | Best Original Song Composed for the Screen | "Dream On" (Megan Washington) | Won | [17] |
See also
References
- ↑ "BINGE Announces First Original Feature Film "How to Make Gravy"". BINGE. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ↑ "Official Trailer and Characters Revealed for BINGE Original Feature Film How to Make Gravy". BINGE. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ↑ "First look at Christmas film How To Make Gravy, based on Paul Kelly's iconic song". ABC News. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- 1 2 Cain, Sian (9 October 2024). "How to Make Gravy: first trailer for film based on Paul Kelly song released". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ↑ Dalagarno, Paul (26 October 2023). "How to Make Gravy: cast named for Paul Kelly-inspired Binge film". Screenhub. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ↑ Hassett, Kate (10 October 2024). "'How To Make Gravy' Is About To Become Your New Favourite Christmas Movie". Marie Claire Australia. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
- ↑ Binge (9 October 2024). "How To Make Gravy — Official Trailer". Retrieved 10 October 2024 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Maddox, Garry (1 December 2024). "If Paul Kelly's classic Christmas song makes you tear up, this film will too". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (30 November 2024). "How to Make Gravy review – a well-intentioned, mawkish misfire". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ↑ Valentish, Jenny (29 November 2024). "'Inside the Kellyverse': how Paul Kelly's How to Make Gravy became a Christmas film". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ↑ "Soundtrack To 'How To Make Gravy' Movie Revealed, Meg Washington Performs The First Single 'The Hook'". noise11. 26 September 2024. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ↑ "Electric Fields, Beddy Rays & Brendan Maclean Drop New Songs From 'How To Make Gravy' Film". The Music. 29 November 2024. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- 1 2 "ARIA Award nominations 2025: Ninajirachi, Dom Dolla, Amyl & The Sniffers lead the pack". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- 1 2 "Amyl and The Sniffers and Ninajirachi lead the 2025 ARIA Awards winners list". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ↑ "Electric Fields, Beddy Rays & Brendan Maclean Drop New Songs from How to Make Gravy Film". The Music. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ↑ "2025 AACTA Awards: Winners & Nominees". AACTA. 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑ "Screen Music Awards winners for 2025 revealed in Brisbane". Screen Hub. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.