Swinging Safari

Off beat, nice pace, thoughly enjoyed it. The attention to detail was fantastic for the period. So many subtle period references. Sound track and editing was clever. It is different and refreshing.

This Australian comedy takes place in the 1970's in a cul-de-sac in a suburb near a beach-front. Its knockabout story focuses on the three families who live there. Written and directed by Stephan Elliott, this film is an autobiographical account of his life as a kid back in the day, with a few inventions added for good measure.

This is a movie which will mainly appeal to those who can remember the 70's. It benefits from a colourful look which celebrates that decade's style and décor in all its gaudy excess. Just for its period detail alone, it is quite a good watch. The story is split 50/50 between the perspective of the adults and the kids. The comedy is often pretty broad and not in all honestly always fully funny, although it does definitely provide a few chuckles throughout. There is no narrative to speak of really and nothing of especial consequence happens more or less. Amongst other events, there is a beached whale, a swinger's party, kids making violent DIY movies, shag-pile carpets, K-TEL records, an Evel Knievel costume and unfortunate pets. Everything is a bit random and several scenes don't particularly lead anywhere. The concoction adds up to a sporadically amusing comedy which ultimately gets by on its fun 70' vibes.

Enjoy this for what it is. So many memories came flooding back. I was a young policeman in the late 70,s and the kids at the blue light disco were how i remembered them, the ways the tried to sneak alcohol in was a laugh every disco. The characters were people i dealt with every shift when on patrol. Its not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but just forget everything and drift back into a time when everything didn't appear to be that bad.

Born in 68 I just loved all the references and the effort that went into finding props and costumes. Seventies soundtrack the interspliced home movie parts. It was a riotous movie I didn't expect to get hooked into. Perhaps if you weren't there you won't get it. If you where there you'll want to watch it again to see what you missed first time round.

As much as this movie looked like a solid offering filled with laughs and an all star cast it ultimately ends up a complete mess of story lines and underdeveloped characters.

It's filled with needless cutbacks that deliver nothing and scenes that should have been left on the cutting room floor. A lot of scenes I just wondered whether the director was doing favours for mates who wanted a small speaking role to camera.

While non linear story arcs are fantastic this one wasn't executed well and cut back and forth so many times whatever the story line is meant to be is not evident. What was the main plot line? Was it the whale, the swinging session, the young girl who would seem to be the focus of much of the movie but of whom we learn almost nothing, or the childhood movie that is apparently being made throughout the film? None of these otherwise acceptable plot lines went anywhere.

The parents are all hideous people except maybe Jeremy Sims' character but again there's no real purpose or explanation to any of their motivations. Kylie is wasted in her role of a blubbering mess that completely unexplored. The teenage girl is written off as he street 'bike' and the other children engage in bratty behaviour with a side of animal cruelty.

I was genuinely excited to see Julian McMahon in an Australian movie and really thought this would be an absolute treat but it just failed miserably. I gave it 4 stars but even that's probably too generous.