Typical Australian political movie where the real issues are sidelined in favour of superficial 'character' driven drama. Aussie critics claim that it offers a complex depiction of Hawke, but it presents a false dichotomy between his personal and political life, which leads to the impression that, while he was a drunk and a womaniser, he was 'true-blue' where it actually counted (i.e. in office). Roxburgh's Hawke is a caricature, and Keating is portrayed as a dull Machiavellian figure.

Extraordinary recreation of Hawke's time as prime minister, with Roxburgh nailing Bob to a T, and Felix Williamson matching him as an odious Paul Keating. Entire supporting cast is of equal high standard in one of the most notable Australian TV movies for years, or at least since the glory days of the 90s. Highly recommended (especially for Australian polictico aficianados)