Le plombier

A married graduate student takes some time off to work on her thesis and play housewife to her doctor husband while living in a University apartment complex. One day, a plumber shows up unannounced claiming he needs to do routine maintenance but ends up making a terrible mess of her bathroom. Soon, she finds the plumber is always around, a bit snoopy, and may have ulterior motives. The Plumber is pretty good, especially considering it was apparently a TV movie, but it is a bit on the dull side. As seems to be a theme with Mr. Weir, this film explores the concept of The Other within the framework of a horror-thriller. I'd argue this is even more successful to me than Wave or Paris were, perhaps because it's main focus was on two individuals. It explores both sides and the ambiguity serves the narrative instead of causing confusion.

Hearing about this great little film from many people, I spent tireless hours on retail sites tracking a VHS copy down. Finally I caught a cheap copy on Half.com and it came several days later, (cut to one month later, when Weir's "Cars that Ate Paris" debuted on easily-accessible DVD format with "The Plumber" as a double feature. Go figure.) But I sat down to watch it and proceeded to laugh for quite some time.

The story is basically about this Aussie anthropologist studying Aboriginal tribes as her boring nutritionist husband is constantly talking shop. She's constantly left to her solitude and values her privacy, which makes it all the more irritating when a strange plumber invades her life. Somewhat threatening and somewhat a misunderstood doof, this plumber spends hours holed up in her bathroom doing nothing but lounging around, hammering shower tiles, writing folk songs and ripping pipes from the walls.

It's a precursor to "The Cable Guy," but don't let that discourage you, (I liked "Cable Guy" myself). It's funny as hell and has a great ending. I'll even forgive it for the nutritionist's ponderous subplot that goes nowhere. It's only 79 minutes--whaddaya got to lose?

Movie: A

Peter Weir shows how a good film can be made from a solid script and very little money.

A student of anthropology attempts to understand aboriginal tribes, but is completely baffled by the cultural chasm that separates her post-graduate sensibilities from the working-class plumber who is sent to work on her apartment. Is he malicious or misunderstood? The script is delightfully ambiguous.

A little low-budget gem.

Search for any kind of movie in the video stores and you'll discover that somebody had to accomplish something in the motion picture industry. THE PLUMBER is the perfect example, coming from a man who may win special honors for THE TRUMAN SHOW. Calling it a horror movie is an exaggeration on its own, but the plot is nerve-tingling as a plumber disrupts an Aussie woman's life through his wild behavior. It all adds to the panic of suspense. To make a political statement about this film, it shows that social and moral values decay in this global community we live and breathe by. Peter Weir must be given a big hand on his films, and this one needs not to be left behind in the abyss of forgotten movies.

I found my copy of "The Plumber" at a yard sale.

I have this silly habit of renting or buying what appear to be low-budget, very campy, or exploitive features to enjoy a good laugh or perhaps spot a popular celebrity paying their dues in the early days of their career. To those degrees, I was a little disappointed with The Plumber (although the low-budget part appears to be true).

I fully expected a "slasher-fest" and screams galore. Instead, The Plumber is about a doctor's wife left alone in the company of an annoying fellow (perhaps a plumber, perhaps not) who proceeds to annoy the hell out of her for the duration of the movie. I agree with the previous reviewer that this theme was duplicated later in "The Cable Guy" with Jim Carey. This bloke is dying for someone to either impress or simply alleviate the loneliness in his life. In the end, we're not sure if he's getting what he deserved or we should feel sorry for him. Indeed, this was a story of psychology, and how we may react in a similar situation.

It's possible I may watch this one again one day, but it's not a movie I would keep with my favorites. Still, it's funny, a little creepy, and definitely worth the 50¢ I paid at that yard sale :)