HRS: "Or maybe whinging (sic) about men is now a sport. Maybe it should go into the Olympic games."

If whingeing about women was a sport, I reckon a certain sock puppet would be a gold medal contender - eh Timkins?

"Since women are often portrayed as victims in feature films about working-class men, their non appearance in Bra Boys could be a sign there are things the filmmakers do not want the audience to know about."

Because there's nothing working-class men enjoy more than victimising women!

"The legal trouble Jai and Koby Abberton found themselves in during the making of the documentary makes the “beach or prison” argument unsustainable."

They were not convicted of any charges. They didn't end up in the 'prison' life that dichotomy refers to.

"There is something frustrating about the acceptance by the Bra Boys of such a uniform idea of what it means to be both a man and from Maroubra."

Yeah, it's so frustrating when men decide for themselves what being a man should mean. They should be the type of men women want them to be.

"Even after causing such strife, Hines apparently remained part of the brotherhood."

Love? Forgiveness? Family? You do understand these concepts right?

"I am heartened by the idea that if people respond with such enmity, one must have touched on a truth that people don’t want to concede."

Or perhaps you're talking crap and people would rather not see it propagated unchallenged.

"The notion that it's not a feminist issue is absurd. There is a reason that women are virtually invisible in the film."

Because everything has to be about women? What is this secret reason you keep going on about?

I see feminists frequently suggest that men should tackle their own issues and not take issue with the way feminist focus on their female ones. This is a film that shows how young boys dealt with being victims of childhood neglect and formed a brotherhood to replace their absent families. There are few females featured in the film, because they are generally not within the scope of the film. If you think there are important feminist issues to be covered, go make your own film.

SJF: "And you wonder why women complain about patriarchal arrogance?"

Please go learn some basic biology.

I don't remember there being a statement that this movie was an all encompassing synopsis of the socio dynamic of Maroubra. It's about a bunch of fellas and where they grew up. Simple, isn't it?.

Why do these fem-bot-nazi's have to don their PC doctor martens and gutter stomp every piece of literature and film that doesn't cover the plight of every single 'cause celebre' the militant wing of the left/rainbow left would like covered?. Buy a cam, and do your own. They have a story and are entitled to tell it.

What an odd article, teeming in its veiled plausably deniable resentment anf fear that it is.

The article screams that odd-ball 'what-about-me' refrain of the perpetually insecure. Hey, its your world, them boyz are just in it, but much to your chagrin, not of it.

Oh yeah, and yuppies do ascend from the working classes. They're the worst kind of know-it-all class hounds. They've seen the light ya know, and its their duty to inform the lowly, stifled and stuck social orders from which they have emerged, of their failings.

The ugly world of... mateship and masculanity. They go together of course. Uh-huh and Bwahahahahaha. And obviosuly they're both 'ugly' as the author says. Bringing this up and noting the authors projections is of course a reflection of on's own oddity and negativity. Uh-huh.

And that last bit about ill feelings towards the dead. Get over it and move on, you'll be much happer with your own sorry existence, which you project so well, in such a practical way too. "Forgive and forget" goes a long way in freeing you from yourself in this life.

Sheesh, l hope OLO doesnt actually pay money for these articles.

C J Morgan, well said. Yes, the film absolutely makes claims about the role of class in creating the Bra Boys. And yes, they do come out looking very bad.

To the person who called me a fem-bot-Nazi, I can only say thanks. Reminds me of this funny book I am reading at the moment called I am America (and So Can You) by the American satirist, Stephen Colbert. Colbert refers to Femi-Idi-Amins. Of course, Colbert is taking the piss out of a particular kind of commentator rather than feminists.

Err, I am not peeved about surfing; I am peeved about gangs or tribes. Belonging to a group can be a positive thing (I think I've said this before, but oh well), but gangs can display pathological traits. Traits that can impact on others. If you don't care about those "others", well, bully for you.

Now, excuse me while I get my PC doc martens and go for a walk.

Why someone would put fingers to keyboard to spew out their prejudice against working class and Aboriginal youth who themselves have long been the target of institutional violence and harassment is a question always worth pondering each time it occurs.

But then there is no accounting for sheer stupidity either and Darlene seems to have this attribute in spades by her arch, dismissive replies to all the critics here who've made excellent points.

Well done, contributors.