The Castle (1997 Australian comedy film)

[Sonny_Jim]

As seen in the Ozploitation thread, I thought I might highlight what I reckon is a lovely Aussie classic:

The Kerrigan home, in the outer Melbourne blue-collar suburb of Coolaroo, is filled with love as well as pride in their modest lifestyle, but their happiness is threatened when developers attempt the compulsory acquisition of their house to expand the neighbouring airport.

Would it be bad to call it an Aussie version of 'The Royle Family'?  It's structured completely differently (I mean, it's a film not a TV show) but I think the general themes are the same.  Endlessly quotable as well, many times I've said 'that's going straight to the pool room' or 'tell him he's dreaming'.

[Johnboy]

Ah, brilliant film, saw it in the cinema.

My wife and I got a lot of mileage out of "tell him he's dreaming"

[Sonny_Jim]

I'm pretty sure it should translate to a global audience, there is Aussie slang but it's not so thick it's impenetrable.  The whole aboriginal land rights stuff might fly over non-Aussies heads (it did to mine).

[petercussing]

I'd definitely put this film in the good room, it's great and has so much genuine warmth and pathos, sure the family are daft as, but they really love and support each other.

[jobotic]

I'm sure I've seen nd enjoyed this but don't remember it very well. Love this

Darryl hires an incompetent lawyer acquaintance, Dennis Denuto (Tiriel Mora), but Dennis's meagre argument that the eviction goes against "the vibe" of the Constitution does not go well in court.

[studpuppet]

"We're going to Bonnie Doon..."

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/5389205?source_impression_id=p3_1618770616_UBPvGXtzhCINaEgB

I love that Eric Bana's punchbag is still hung up in the tree.

[Rizla]

Same here, the "...dreaming" gets quoted a lot between me and my brother. "Dad, what's a pulpit?"
That concept of being unable to truly appreciate happy times because of the knowledge they'll one day be just memories is beautifully drawn, makes me fill up a bit just thinking about it. It's such a lovely film, much imitated for its quirk, but very few other films really get there.

[George White]

As seen in the Ozploitation thread, I thought I might highlight what I reckon is a lovely Aussie classic:
Would it be bad to call it an Aussie version of 'The Royle Family'?  It's structured completely differently (I mean, it's a film not a TV show) but I think the general themes are the same.  Endlessly quotable as well, many times I've said 'that's going straight to the pool room' or 'tell him he's dreaming'.

The Royle Family comparison is apt, as Michael Caton ended up costarring with Madge off Neighbours in Aherne's post-Royle Family Australian sitcom, Dossa and Joe.

[peanutbutter]

Remember seeing this as a kid at like half twelve on some random channel along with my family and watching the whole thing having a great time. Dunno if I'd get as many laughs out of it on a rewatch but I've no doubt I'd still enjoy it.


The Dish was alright too, albeit not as special on the whole, as was their sitcom they done before the castle about a news station https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108780/
I see Utopia has good reviews on the not-super-reliable IMDb, is it worth a punt?

[Shaky]

I see Utopia has good reviews on the not-super-reliable IMDb, is it worth a punt?

Utopia is quick and smart but I'd say it's less funny than previous work. Certainly watchable and occasionally amusing, but nothing laugh out loud. It's also a vehicle for basically every current Aussie-based comedian and that can be a distraction (if you know them).

[13 schoolyards]

Working Dog (the team behind The Castle and 80% of the decent Australian comedy of the last 30 years that isn't Shaun Micallef related) can be a little hit and miss with their scripted work - Any Questions For Ben?, their third movie, is an absolute shocker and to be avoided at all costs.

Utopia is a bit formulaic but in any random stretch two out of three episodes will be pretty good. Their earlier political sitcom, The Hollowmen, started out a bit shaky but the second season was excellent IIRC.

They're currently putting most of their efforts into Have You Been Paying Attention?, a news quiz panel show that's well worth a look (it should be starting back up in a month or so) and is fairly international with the news it covers so it should travel reasonably well.

[zomgmouse]

I'd definitely put this film in the good room

i don't want to be that guy but it is 100% not "the good room", it's "the pool room".

[Mobius]

If you like Aussie movies, I watched this one at the movies a few months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rams_(2020_film) (link won't paste properly put a bracket at the end)

Michael Caton, Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson. Got a nice vibe to it, feelgood sorta movie.

[evilcommiedictator]

Utopia was made after Working Dog said they couldn't compete with reality when writing The Hollowmen - A comedy about the PMs special department, which IMO was fucking awesome and it's a tragedy to see Utopia do the same office culture jokes we've already seen 10 years ago (Did you know the new swipe card reader is down? Also, emails are broken!)

There's still a bit of political comedy in Utopia - They're an unnamed "Nation Building Authority" who need to take on every crazy project that the government wants to do, and this video is essentially what they were doing in The Hollowmen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTCqXlDjx18

[zomgmouse]

If you like Aussie movies, I watched this one at the movies a few months ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rams_(2020_film) (link won't paste properly put a bracket at the end)

Michael Caton, Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson. Got a nice vibe to it, feelgood sorta movie.

This is a remake of an Icelandic film but it looks like they've severely lightened it up.

[Mobius]

This is a remake of an Icelandic film but it looks like they've severely lightened it up.

Yeah I was surprised to find out it was a remake because it feels so Aussie. Yeah it's a lighthearted comedy / sibling rivalry movie, although it does get a bit dark towards the end. It's set in and around the recent bushfires, and the storyline is about raising sheep and some sort of mad cow disease but for sheep.

[13 schoolyards]

Rams is a bit of a weird one tonally in that part of the time it's a fairly blunt look at two brothers who don't get along but then you get Sam Neill basically getting sexually aroused watching his prize ram service a ewe.

I was a bit of a fan of the original, so I was surprised how well the script worked relocated to West Australia. Though the final scene really did feel like they'd got the film back from test screenings and been told the ending they'd firmly established in the scene before wouldn't fly.