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.
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.
The film was produced on the Gold Coast, Queensland, with filming commencing in October 2023.
Paul Kelly made a cameo appearance as a bus driver in the film.
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.
A trailer for the film was released on 9 October 2024.
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.
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. 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.
A limited edition soundtrack was released on vinyl in December 2024. At the 2025 ARIA Music Awards, the album won ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album.
On 29 November 2024, three songs were released digitally; Electric Fields "Dream On", Brendan Maclean "Fine" and Beddy Rays "Red Hot Chrissy".