The Heartbreak Kid is a 1993 Australian romantic comedy film directed by Michael Jenkins, who also wrote with Richard Barrett. It stars Claudia Karvan as Christina Papadopoulos, a 22-year-old Greek-Australian teacher who falls in love with her 17-year-old, soccer-obsessed student, Nick Polides, played by Alex Dimitriades.
The film was based on the 1987 stage play of the same name. It was filmed in the inner suburb of Prahran, Victoria, with many of its real students co-opted as extras. Scenes at the teacher's family home were shot in Avondale Heights in Melbourne's north-west.
In a 2024 interview, Karvan commented on "The Heartbreak Kid" saying that she doesn't "take responsibility" for the controversial storyline: "I didn't write it. I didn't direct it. I didn't produce it... I was a 19 year old girl. And it was a tough job. I felt like I was an adult, and I was playing a very adult role... I probably wasn't that equipped to do it. I got through and I did it, but it wasn't my favourite job." She also pointed out that a friend of hers had recently seen the film and was less troubled by the age gap than the fact that the Nick character "pretty much (stalks)" Christina.
Michael Jenkins and Ben Gannon developed the 1994 television series "Heartbreak High" as a spin-off of the film, with several cast members reprising their roles, reimagined in a Sydney setting.
Plot.
Christina Papadopoulos is a 22-year-old school teacher, engaged to ambitious lawyer Dimitri. Christina's entire future seems planned out for her—albeit planned by her fiancé, her father and her priest.
Lively 17-year-old Nick Polides is a student in Christina's Greek class and a soccer fanatic who supports local Melbourne club South Melbourne FC. Nick finds himself attracted to Christina and makes numerous passes at her which she rebuffs. But her resistance begins to crumble as both begin to rebel against the constricting Greek-Australian cultural restraints put upon them.
When Christina becomes the manager of the school's newly formed soccer team, she and Nick begin to spend more time together outside of school hours. Though Christina is initially hesitant at Nick's continuous advances, she soon gives into impulses and engages in an illicit relationship with Nick. She uses the house left by her friend for rendezvous with Nick outside school hours. Their amorous relationship progresses quickly as they fall in love with each other. But as the news of their relationship leaks out, Christina faces severe shaming at her workplace. She is further berated by Nick's father for breaking the trust placed upon her as a teacher. Her fiancé learns of the relationship and gives her a choice that he is willing to let the matter slide if she promises to act as if her past with Nick never occurred. But Christina, by then very much in love with Nick and tired of her overbearing fiancé, breaks off the engagement and leaves to meet up with Nick. She tells Nick of her decision to leave Dimitri and mentions that she would be pursuing overseas postgraduate studies for two years until Nick graduates. An overjoyed Nick readily agrees and promises to meet up after two years. The film ends on a positive note with their kiss and soccer-play under the sun.
Production.
Mike Jenkins developed the script with Richard Barrett, who wrote the original play, over two years, doing around seven drafts. Jenkins and the cast then rehearsed for three weeks. The Soccer scenes were filmed at South Melbourne's old ground at Middle Park (stadium) with Socceroo Con Boutsianis being the stand in for the soccer scenes involving Nick.
Box office.
"The Heartbreak Kid" took in A$ at the box office, making it the 74th most successful Australian film (1966–2008).
Awards and nominations.
"The Heartbreak Kid" received three nominations at the 1993 Australian Film Institute Awards in the categories of Best Supporting Actor (Nico Lathouris), Best Director (Michael Jenkins) and Best Film (Ben Gannon). The film was nominated for and won Best Screenplay at the Montreal World Film Festival in 1993.
References.
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