SAVE YOUR LEGS

Australia, 2012, 92 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Curry, Brendan Cowell, Damon Gameau, David Lyons, Brenton Thwaites, Madeleine West, Pallavi Sharda, Eddie Baroo, Darren Gilshenan.
Directed by Boyd Hicklin.


Not too many films about cricket, though the Indians made the very successful Lagaan. While cricket fans can contemplate during a five day test, most people are happier with one day matches or the speed of 20/20. So, you have to make a film about the people who play rather than showing too many details of a match. For those wondering, there are quite a number of cricket play scenes in this film but many of them are comic, the rest are in matches with Indian teams.

Actually, the film has its origins on an actual tour of India by members of a local Melbourne club (the kind that finishes eighth on the table). It was not exactly a magical mystery tour but it had its Indian moments, exotic as well as debilitating. The film-makers originally produced a documentary. Now we have the movie.

Melbourne looks rather good at the beginning of the film. The cricket team are devotees who give their Saturdays to matches. As expected, they are a motley lot, led with great earnestness by Ted Brown (Stephen Curry who had played jockey Damian Oliver in The Cup). Colin (Darren Gilshenan), the secretary is a compulsive on statistics. Red (Brendan Cowell) the captain is about to become a father but is prone to getting drunk and/or high. Stav (Damon Gameau) thinks he is God’s gift to the world, but is the best player. Prince (David Lyons) reads Gandhi and meditates. Shadow (Eddie Baroo) is a very big bloke but not bad at the game. Then there is the youngster, Mark (Brenton Thwaites) brought in to persuade the Indian backers that they should support the tour.

Writer-director, Boyd Hicklin, participated in the original tour.

The Indian sequences take place in Kolkotta, Benares and Mumbai, so there is plenty of scenery and local colour, which does give special touches to the film.

The comedy-drama is easy-going (well the tensions that arise in the group are not easy going but the overall treatment is). This is the kind of small Aussie film that is pleasantly amusing rather than a standout. The jokes are generally on the blokes themselves, on cricket loyalties and on some Indian pretentions. (Will they have to change the ending to be pro-India for Indian release or will the Indians be good sports and indulge their passion for cricket and go to see the films in their millions?)

1. An entertaining cricket film? Knowledge of the game, skills? The ethos of cricket teams? Australia and Indian interest?

2. The film based on a true story?

3. The vistas of Melbourne, the city, the locations, the feel for Melbourne? The cricket ground?

4. The contrast with Kolkata, Varanasi, Mumbai?

5. The songs, Australian, west? The contrast with India, Bollywood? And the Bollywood musical ending?

6. Teddy Brown, his voice-over, character, loner, love for cricket, his leadership of the group, the Tendulkar box? Nerdish, the introductions to all the members of the team? The glimpses of the games, suburban cricket on a Saturday morning, the gauche manner of so many of the team? Spirit, talk of maintaining the spirit, parties and trivia nights, Ted’s life alone, in the garage? The suggestion of the visit to India, the possibilities, the building up of the tour, Mark as a lure for the Indian entrepreneur, his work at the nets? Ted’s comments about the experience?

7. The uniforms, the team, mates, Red as the captain, easygoing, his pregnant girlfriend, drugs, a yahoo? The jokes? The contrast with Stav, his flair, playing golf, vanity, his home, wife, Ted living in the garage? His cricket skills? The contrast with Colin, statistics, in the shop, Shadow, his size and eating? Prince and his reading of Gandhi? The other members of the team? Mark, his brash attitudes, the clash with Stav?

8. India, the feel, the visuals of India, the masses of people, the love for cricket, the boy in the street and playing cricket, meeting the team, the social, the preparation for the match?

9. The issue of Indian food, Ted and his becoming sick? Shadow and his eating? The drugs? Ted and his exasperation?

10. The Indian authorities, the entrepreneur with the wig? The entrepreneur from Australia, his keenness about the cricket? His daughter, her knowledge of cricket, interest, Ted?

11. The play, the team, losing? The train travel? Ted and his illness, the toilet?

12. The contrast with Varanasi from Kolkata, mystical, the views, the candles in the water, Red throwing Tendulkar’s box in the river? Red and his being sacked? The attempt to build up the team, the match, the close result, Mark and his deliberate losing of the match? The machinations of the bigwig?

13. Mumbai, Ted and his telling people off, going to the airport, the inspector and his cap? His return? The party? The peach outfit for Stav? Red and the speech and reconciliation?

14. The climax, the match, six to go, Stav, Ted and his hitting the six, the response of the Indians? The romantic touch for Ted?

15. The Bollywood ending, cheerful, music, song and dance?

16. The film reinforcing the ethos of cricket for Australian audiences? And for Indian audiences?