Death in Brunswick

Death in Brunswick is a smashing wee film. It comes from that venerable antipodean tradition of the "cooky" movie - see: almost anything by Baz Luhrmann or films like The Team, Goodbye Pork Pie, Don's Party, Cars that ate Paris etc etc. Off beat doesn't describe this kind of film - so talk about refreshing. Just when you think the narrative is heading along in a "I-sort-of-get-this" direction - some new character or plot device comes up and wryly calls you over and says: nah that would be too boring.

Fear not though this isn't laboured zaniness or posturing surreality - this is clever, clever, clever stuff - character driven, funny as...and basically something to get you thinking. And get this: someone actually sat in a room somewhere and thought: "Right we'll get that handsome Sam Neill guy and make him a play a weedy loser who lives with his mum." ???Only in Oz. No wonder the man himself ranks this gem among his favourite movies.

I've only just come across this movie for the first time and found it interesting in many ways. It's more of a straight drama than a comedy, though it does have moments of grim humour. It's not really a "black comedy", but is simply the story of one man (played by Sam Neill) and his constant struggle to maintain his self-respect and survive in his sordid surroundings. Brunswick is a working-class suburb of Melbourne, Australia, with a large migrant population, and this sometimes ambling/slow-moving film, captures some of the typical "feel" of the place. Quite a good movie; a bit different to the norm.

I enjoyed DIB and don't have much to add to the other positive reviews posted, however I just had to comment on the couple of reviews questioning whether it was a comedy. If you don't understand and enjoy BLACK comedy then don't watch a black comedy and expect to enjoy it! Surely the title should give you a pretty good clue as to whether you're going to like it or not. If you find the idea of death/grim subjects innately unfunny then switch off!

I find it tremendously sad, but not surprising, that there are so many people in the world who can't find something funny unless it's "clean" and "nice". What a loss for them. Oh well, all the more for the rest of us!

This is an interesting black comedy with Sam Neill doing a turn as a "34" (ah hem) year old short order cook, on a loosing streak. That is until he meets the woman of his meager dreams. I enjoyed this downunder flick because of it's unpredictability. It's brutal, but then a loser's life sometimes is. But Carl (Sam Neill) wanders through all of the chaos around him, teettering on this side of naive. Even when he does take initiative, he can't do it all himself. There are some great scenes - including a pizza I'd like to serve my ex-boss! It is slow in parts and not always cohesive, but worth sitting through. A slice of reality. Reminds me of a brother, 30something (ah hem)...

There's an opening scene where Sam Neill's short-order cook hero has a fatal encounter with a tin can that anyone who's ever tried to sleep off a particularly nasty hangover can fully understand. If it makes you laugh, keep going. Chances are, you'll enjoy the whole movie. If you don't laugh, go back to "The Sound of Music"; this movie is not for you.

Neill is dead-on accurate as the epitome of every short-order cook that has ever been and his comic timing is brilliant. I picked this film up several years ago and Neill's role in it is still one of my favourites. Sure, he's slumming, but oh, how well he does it. You can just see how much fun he must have had with the role. If you are a Sam Neill fan, definitely give this one a try--if you can find it!