A FEW BEST MEN
Australia, 2012, 99 minutes, Colour.
Xavier Samuel, Olivia Newton- John, Kris Marshall, Kevin Bishop, Laura Brent, Tim Draxl, Steve Le Marquand, Jonathan Biggins, Rebel Wilson.
Directed by Stephan Elliott.
American films like The Hangover, The Wedding Crashers and Bridesmaids remind us that the public has an appetite for raucous comedies. The British were more restrained with Four Weddings and a Funeral, though Death at a Funeral was a bit more in your face (and had an American remake).
Actually, Death at a Funeral is relevant here as the writer, Dean Craig, turns his attention to a wedding and transfers the multi-mishap plot to a wedding. And the director is Stephan Elliot, famous for Priscilla (less so for Welcome to Woop Woop).
This is not a film for the fastidious. It is for those who like a yarn that is funny but not afraid to be crude as well.
Xavier Samuel has his chance to be seen in a big hit film rather than in the small-budget stories and horror films that have marked his career. He is joined by two British comedians who have a solid TV reputation, Kris Marshall (playing the crass friend) and Kevin Bishop (playing the put upon friend). David (Samuel) has fallen in love with an Australian girl, daughter of a dill of an ambitious Senator, and comes with his friends for the wedding in the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains backgrounds look beautiful.
The action takes place over twenty four hours and the plot consists of whatever could go wrong does go wrong. This involves slapstick of people knocking into each other, drinking on a stag night with video, complications with a merino sheep called Ramsey, a despondent friend who knocks a huge marriage ball off its pedestal which hurtles down onto the wedding party, a fiasco of speeches. Drugs come into it with a dealer (a humorous performance by Steve Le Marquand as a druggie with a heart of mush – and a gun). And, the mother of the bride gets high and berserk. The shock is that she is played by Olivia Newton John as exactly the opposite of what we expect her to be like. There are also political complications, police complications and the marriage being declared a failure before it has begun.
But, all will be well.
Better than expected, it kind of grows on you... But there are several reviewers who want to assure us that it doesn’t!
1. Spoof? Satire? Screwball comedy?
2. The blend of British and Australian humour? Satire, slapstick, coarse comedy?
3. The atmosphere of Tuvalu and the tropics? Sydney? The Blue Mountains?
4. The range of songs, the background, their comment on the action and characters?
5. David and Mia in the tropics, the romance, falling in love, the video, the proposal?
6. David, his character, serious, orphan background, his friends, growing up in England?
7. The group of friends: Tom, the yob, dumb and selfish, crass? Graham, hypochondria, being picked on? Luke, his obsession and sadness? Their reaction to the wedding news, surprise, not supportive?
8. The arguments, comic, the flight to Australia, the arrival, Maureen, the different cars?
9. Tom and Graham, following the car, going to the bush, Ray’s hut, his cheery friend, the drugs, the grungy look, Tom and the drugs, Graham and his fear, Ray and his flirting, outpouring his soul, the promise to meet again? The humour of the unexpected touchy-feely response?
10. The mistake with the bags, Graham upset, Tom phoning, the static on the phone, Ray’s reaction? Graham’s bag, the invitation, getting dressed for the wedding, crashing the wedding, seeing Graham again, the bath, Tom and the knockout, putting Ray in the sauna? The attack – and meeting his father, the reconciliation?
11. David, meeting the family, Mia as pleasant, the mother and her hard approach to life, her attitude towards her husband, Jim, as a personality, parliamentary career, his pride in Ramsay the merino? An opportunist?
12. Tom and Graham, the mess, the meal, Graham vomiting because of the cheese, Tom’s talk? David and his embarrassment? Meeting Daphne? The night out, the drinking, Ramsay, the makeup, the video?
13. The wedding day, all in order, the huge ball, Jim and his control of the staff? The beautiful location, the Blue Mountains, the marquee, everything orderly? The ritual of the wedding? Luke, his sadness, drinking, sleeping, getting in the car, the brakes loose, the ball hurtling down the hill and ruining everything?
14. David, the sheep, the makeup, hiding the sheep, Maureen searching for it, Tom and Graham lowering it, the fall?
15. Graham, the bag, wearing Jim’s suit, the Hitler moustache and all the comments, his clicking with Daphne, Ray’s arrival, the sheep and the drugs, getting the drugs out of the sheep, the speech, the preparation, Tom and the drawing, the impromptu, all the faux pas?
16. Tom, irresponsible, his speech, the drugs, Barbara and her getting high, the cocaine in the punch, the effect on people? Putting on the wrong video?
17. The background of the politicians, the police?
18. Mia and her reaction, the wedding day, the desperation, with David? Her parents and their reaction, her father wanting to call everything off? David and the true video, her happiness?
19. David and his speech about his friends, attacking Jim? Friends and family despite their stupidity?
20. How effective and funny an Australian comedy – or not? Sharply divided critics?
