Malcolm

I love this film,if not for the sheer inventiveness.The locations are great as are the characters,i.e the key role of Malcolm,played with sheer professionalism by Colin Freils.The funniest moments I think,revolve around Malcolm`s gadgets.Malcolm himself is possibly autistic,as I can`t remember if it`s said in the film,but as we know,autistic people make up for their lack of social skills admirably and in Malcolm`s case,his gift is in all things mechanical.The scene that make me burst out laughing the most was the actual robbery where normal everyday bins are used for a purpose their designers could`nt have thought of in a million years!! Also the music used by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra is a work of art,as it appears to be tailor made as the scene ends up looking like a ballet,when the music pauses so does the action.My hat is doffed to the creators of such a heartwarming film,and seeing as Australian humour is very much on a par with British humour,I had no trouble "getting it". Overall,a fantastic film that should be shown every Christmas,as further generation will enjoy it aswell for years to come.I know I will

I had almost forgotten about this movie until I happened upon it while on here. I discovered this movie on TV one night and loved this cute little film. Very funny, charming, creative, touching, great storyline and good acting all around. Unfortunately it appears that it didn't get the publicity and release that it deserved. As others have already said on here, find it if you can, because it is well worth it!!

This is an absolute gem - a really original, clever and funny film. Colin Friels and John Hargreaves are brilliant, the gadgets are hilarious, and the music (from the Penguin Café Orchestra) beautifully surreal. This film has without question the most unusual bank raid sequence on film. Enjoy!

Malcolm is one of several movies produced by David Parker & Nadia Tass. It won 8 A.F.I. (Australian Film Industry) awards when first produced.

Malcolm was one of my favourite movies while growing up, particularly because of my own love of tinkering and model railroads. It and Rikky & Pete are still two of my favourite movies, light heared Australian comedies that didn't shy away from anything, which is the depressing reality of more and more modern movies.

As it goes it actually has a few stars cast (local stars though not international) in it.

While somewhat simple (in the story this is blamed at least partially on his upbringing by his mother in what is an ethnic neighbourhood) Malcolm has a flair for invention which gets him fired from his job with the Melbourne tram company after he builds a working tram out of spare parts. After being laid off he is told he needs to get a boarder in to support himself financially. Enter Frank an ex-con still upto criminal activities who brings in his girlfriend Judith to live in the other room.

It is a good fun family movie which most if not all will enjoy, provided the Australian style of comedy and pacing don't get to you (this is typical of Tass & Parker who tend to put a very Australian feel to all the movies they produced together which means the pace is laid back, the language a touch vulgar, and the whole affair is a realistic depiction of human beings [the car that split in half was actually built it's not just a prop]).

Like an Aussie Frank Spencer, but much less manic and brilliantly inventive, naive and slow Malcolm is an only son of an overprotective mother, who has died.

Malcolm loses his job and it's suggested that he lets out a room in his mother's house that he's inherited. Helpful neighbours make out a list of questions that he may have for any prospective lodgers and before long, Frank, fresh out of prison (this being unknown, of course, to Malcolm) and soon Frank's girlfriend, Judith move in.

They're still practising "crims" and surprisingly, find Malcolm all too eager to assist them in their thieving. Malcolm, of course, doesn't see all this as anything more than fun and an excellent outlet for his technical inventions, that include remotely controlled litter bins, that act as innocuous roving cameras that move around an intended target building and relay video footage back. Malcolm also has friends now, probably for the first time in a very long while.

The rather whimsical inventions, now, look pretty dated and whilst they're impressively inventive - a getaway car that splits in half, as it's actually two motorbikes joined together, but looks like a car...this is all rather Disney-ish, except this features adults only and I reckon will appeal to an older generation more, who might appreciate their comedy more visual and innocent than the rather more crude and broad comedy cinema of today.

It's generally a likable little film and whilst one (in theory) might find Malcolm's character irritating, initially at least, one doesn't for long and at least, unlike the Farrelly brother films of excess, 'dumb' doesn't mean overplayed moronically stupid. Malcolm is a character that we might know and it is this element that warms us and carries both us and the film through its many frankly absurd plot-lines.

Twenty-six years ago, when this film was released, I'm sure its comedy and success with the public would have been high. Now, though, it seems to have a very small but devoted following that is otherwise consigned into the realms of the unknown import, that is expensive to buy, even if you can track it down. I watched it as part of the 12 DVD boxset 'Australian Cinema Collection', which is Region 0 (region-free).