Film

The Sapphires

Name: The Sapphires
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2012
Cast: Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell

Musical

A 1968 feel-good comedy-drama about four Aboriginal Australian women who form a soul group to entertain US troops in Vietnam. It's warm, funny, and energetic—part musical, part coming-of-age story—with genuine heart beneath the period charm. For anyone who loves ensemble casts, strong friendships, and the kind of film that makes you want to dance.

TMDb rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy underdog stories with a big heart, where the humour grows from prickly characters and the women's harmonies do much of the emotional heavy lifting.

Skip it if you find feel-good crowd-pleasers thin, since the story leans on familiar beats and sentiment, and the romance plotting can feel predictable.

What it asks of you: A brisk hour and three-quarters that flips between cheeky banter and sudden seriousness about race and war, so you need to hold both moods at once.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Dreamgirls2006

Same DNA: a tight ensemble of women finding their voice through music, navigating fame, love, and the era's racial complexities. Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, and a relentless emotional pull.

But Heavier and more tragic than The Sapphires; it prioritizes heartbreak over joy, and the tone is uncompromising.

Hidden Figures2016

Another ensemble of brilliant women overcoming racism and sexism with intelligence, humour, and friendship. The warmth is similar, the stakes higher, and it never feels like it's punching down.

But It's smarter than funny, and if you're looking for the musical energy of The Sapphires, this is grounded in mathematics and bureaucracy instead.

Mamma Mia!2008

Pure joy in movie form: ensemble cast, ABBA songs, gorgeous setting, and a plot that's an excuse to watch charismatic people sing and dance. Same spirit of 'let's have fun with this.'

But It's deliberately silly and makes no pretense at depth. If you want your musicals anchored in social realism, this will feel slight.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Sapphires

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Muriel's Wedding1994

Both are Australian films about women finding themselves through performance and friendship, but Muriel's Wedding is melancholic where The Sapphires is buoyant.

An Australian film about a flawed woman finding friendship and freedom through reinvention. It has The Sapphires' warmth and humour, but it's darker, stranger, and entirely its own thing. Toni Collette at her most alive.

But It's not a feel-good film disguised as drama—the comedy masks genuine unhappiness. The ending is hopeful but unsettling, not triumphant.

Hairspray2007

Ensemble musical about race, acceptance, and friendship set in a period-piece Baltimore. Energetic, funny, and genuinely moving—it sneaks real issues into a candy-coloured story.

But The tone whiplashes between campy comedy and serious subject matter. It doesn't always land, and some viewers find it tonally confused.

Kinky Boots2005

A British ensemble film about finding your tribe and unexpected friendship. Smart, warm, and genuinely funny, with real emotional stakes and a cast that clearly loves the material.

But It's quieter than The Sapphires and more focused on character than spectacle. The stakes are personal rather than historical.

Steel Magnolias1989

Six women, strong friendships, humour and heartbreak woven together. It's the gold standard for ensemble female-led drama with laughs. Dolly Parton, Sally Field, Julia Roberts.

But It's emotionally manipulative in the third act—the shift from comedy to tragedy feels engineered rather than organic.

Sing Street2016

Set in 1980s Dublin, a group of misfits form a band. It has The Sapphires' joy and friendship, plus a killer soundtrack and genuine heart about finding yourself through music.

But It's much more indie and bittersweet than The Sapphires. The comedy is subtle, and the film moves at its own quiet pace.

Clueless1995

Ensemble comedy with a diverse cast, real friendship at its centre, and genuine warmth beneath the period comedy. Witty, fast-paced, and never mean-spirited—it genuinely likes its characters.

But It's a high-school movie from the 90s. If you're looking for the historical weight and musical spectacle of The Sapphires, this is pure fluff.

Moxie2021

A scrappy ensemble film about young women finding their voice and supporting each other. Modern, energetic, and genuinely funny, with a spirit that matches The Sapphires' optimism.

But It's Netflix-made and sometimes tries too hard to be relevant. The dialogue can feel written for TikTok rather than sounding natural.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil2008

Both celebrate people choosing music and friendship over practical life, and both find profound dignity and joy in that choice.

A documentary following an aging Canadian heavy metal band still chasing their dream. It sounds niche, but it's genuinely moving and funny—a story about friendship, perseverance, and why we make art.

But It's a documentary about metalheads that takes heavy metal seriously. If you don't care about the music or the subculture, the personal story alone might not sustain you.

Priscilla2023

Both explore women in the 1960s whose lives are shaped by performance and fame, but Priscilla interrogates the cost where The Sapphires celebrates the freedom.

Sofia Coppola's film about Priscilla Presley, structured as a journey through spectacle and disillusionment. It's visually sumptuous and emotionally complex—glamour and entrapment intertwined, with a pop soundtrack that pulses beneath.

But It's deliberately slow and introspective. If you want the energy and momentum of The Sapphires, this is meditative and sometimes glacial.