MANNY LEWIS

Australia, 2015, 95 minutes, Colour.
Carl Barron, Leeanna Walsman, Roy Billing, Damien Garvey.
Directed by Anthony Mir.

This is a small Australian film which deserves being seen quite widely.

This reviewer was not familiar with the work of Carl Barron, a stand-up comedian who began his working career as a labourer and moved into comedy. He has written the screenplay for this film with his colleague, director Anthony Mir, and plays the part of a fictional stand-up comedian, Manny Lewis. Carl Barron invests a great deal of intensive energy into his portrayal of Manny Lewis which inevitably raises the question how much of this film is autobiographical.

The first few moments are not quite auspicious, some examples of stand-up comedy, heard behind the credits. Not particularly funny – despite the laugh-track sounding quite hearty and rather morbid in subject.

However, as we get to know Manny Lewis, he is not the kind of person we would find enjoyable company but he is the kind of person whose screen story becomes more interesting and intriguing. He is middle-aged, unmarried, has a difficult relationship with his father whom he drives out to the country to visit now and again. He does not mingle at parties despite all the liveliness around him. He is in constant touch with his agent, played with some exuberance as well as melancholy, by Damien Garvey. There is one bright prospect, the possibility of a tour of the United States.

When Manny goes home after a party to his unit, looking out on Sydney Harbour and the Bridge, his loneliness overcomes him and looks up the phone book for phone-sex numbers. After hanging up, he dials again and is referred to Caroline who speaks with an affected sex-husky voice. The first contact is a mixed success and he will dial again and again.

In the meantime, the audience learns more than Manny does. Caroline is actually Maria, a young woman, from Gympie, making ends meet by the phone work, intending to sail to Brazil, an attractive performance from Leeanna Wiseman. By accident, she sees an interview with Manny on television and sets herself up to meet him by chance.

No one can say that Manny Lewis is not predictable. It is, even to the final fadeout. But that does not matter, because the film becomes sweeter and nicer as it goes on and, unless an audience has excised sentiment, they will find it a pleasant film.

Of course, Manny enjoys Maria’s company, the possibility for talking, going out, being himself – but, he confides more and more in Caroline, even telling her some of the mannerisms that he finds irritating in Maria! Maria does her best. Inevitably, the truth comes out with sadness for each of them.

Manny has to perform at the State Theatre in Sydney, to a very enthusiastic audience, stories and jokes about life, death and loneliness, as well as some songs, the lyrics of one relating to his experience with Maria.

The show is a success and the American producer wants him to sign a contract. His dad has come to the performance and is instrumental in apologising to his son for his harshness in the past and urging him, telling the story of his falling in love with his mother, to do the right thing.

It is almost hit and miss as Maria is on the boat for Brazil, but… (Nobody said that the film was not predictable, pleasantly so).

1. The story of a sad comic? Australian setting?

2. The Sydney locations, life at King’s Cross, the harbour, the Bridge, the Opera House?

3. The songs, Manny’s songs and the lyrics and themes? The musical score?

4. The title, the focus, the stand-up comic, his character, life, performance, his self-image, morose, funny? Not?

5. The jokes over the credits, the nature of stand-up comedy, the nature of Manny’s jokes, themes, serious, life and death? Funny or not? The audiences and the laughter? The performances being kept to the latter part of the film, in the State Theatre, television? The excerpts?

6. Manny, Carl Barron and his input into the film, writing, performance, his own experience as a stand-up comic after doing manual work? His age, appearance, seeming nondescript, yet his performance, reputation? The TV interview? The background of his father, his relationship with his father, his father being tough, his memories? His relationship with his agent, the concern about his image, not mixing with people, drinking, bored? A purpose in life?

7. The agent, bluff and hearty, skill in management, his own family, his boy, the celebrations, drinking and Manny’s taunt about his drinking in front of his son? His feelings? The deals, the possibility of the American tour, the performance at the State Theatre, television? With the American producer, the possibility of signing the contract, Manny going off?

8. Manny’s father, his driving to see him, the visit, the old jokes, not much conversation, drinking? The later conversations? His father apologising about his treatment of his son? The father going to the performance, entering the theatre, calling out, encouraging Manny? After the performance, a contract, the serious talk, his father’s memories about his love for his wife, urging Manny to go to find Maria?

9. Manny, alone, at parties, morose, alone in his flat? The phone sex, the telephone book, his hesitation, getting through, talking with Caroline, the nature of the talk, her sexy voice, his wanting to talk more personally, the lonely man wanting her to listen? The development of the relationship?

10. Caroline, her voice, listening, responding? Seeing her at home, ordinary, seeing Manny on the television? In herself, her background from Gympie, going to Sydney, the sex phone work, going to the cafe, contacting Manny? The barman and his friendship, Brazil, wanting to go to Brazil? Loving the salsa dancing?

11. The outings with many, their talking, being together, comfortable with each other, his phoning her as Caroline, listening to his criticisms, her changing, letting her hair down…?

12. Manny, talking with Caroline, his complaints, his declarations? Her mistake in using his name? Manny realising the truth? Phoning her outside her flat? His disillusionment?

13. His being hurt, not contacting her, her decision to go to Brazil? The performance at the theatre, the American producer, the contract, his realising the truth about Maria?

14. The performance, the audience, the nature of the jokes, the song about Maria?

15. His father’s advice, hurrying to the wharf, calling out her name, finding that she had not left, her dilemma on the boat and her decision not to go? His love for her?

16. Rather nice, even a sweet screenplay, the touch of the predictable – but it not mattering because of our response to Manny and Maria?