SCUMBUS

Australia, 2012, 80 minutes, Colour.
Toby Truslove, Ed Kavalee, Samantha Tolj Glenn Robbins, Ryan Shelton, Tony Martin, Lachy Hulme.
Directed by Luke Tierney.

A slight Australian comedy, set in Sydney, focusing on the police.

This is one of those small entertainments that appear on television, with some amusing moments, with some flat moments and some oddball acting, momentarily entertaining.

Two friends, both in the police, an odd couple, very odd couple, arrive at work on the birthday of the serious one who is hoping for a promotion which does not happen. He is the Felix of this odd couple (Ed Kavalee, the writer of the screenplay). The Oscar is a would-be musician who is fairly irresponsible (Toby Truslove), cause roof mischief, even a crash into a McDonalds?. He also fancies himself as a ladies man and uses groin photos on an online dating service – which, surprisingly, does get some replies, even for a rendezvous with a sexy housewife whose husband’s interest in a threesome is watching and filming, with the revelation of the sound engineer in a cupboard. It is that kind of film.

The writer of the film, Ed Kavalee, plays the serious policeman, believing in the rules, wanting to make arrests, trying to reform his partner.

Crisis comes when they are appointed by their commander, played by Glenn Robbins, to go to the suburban police vehicle, the Scumbus. They find that the two previous officers, unwilling to go, had been dealing drugs over the years. Their contact, when he discovers the new men moved in, wants to get the drugs that are concealed there as well as the cash. He sends over a girlfriend who charms the irresponsible partner but gives an idea to the serious one to make a bust.

The serious one follows the contact after an interview with the dealer, contact his boss who wants him to let it all go. Of course, the boss is in on the plan and turns up to try to persuade them to continue the arrangement. In the meantime, a policewoman who fascinates the serious man but is connected with the officer who always gets promotions, also turns up.

A party is arranged in the scumbus to celebrate the serious man’s birthday. While he is tempted to let go, and does to a certain extent, he still wants to make the arrest. The boss organises all of this with show, making sure that the rival in promotion witnesses everything, and our hero does get a promotion.

The team also made the comedy Border Protection Squad.