The Night We Called It a Day

i rented this movie, Did not make it to Icelandic theaters, not a great loss though this is a movie to watch at home, medium paced at first.Melanie Griffith did well here,playing a Marylin Monroe lookalike wannabe Frank Sinatra's Wife, Dennis Hooper on the other hand brings shame to Frank Sinatra's name with a dreadful performance and after seeing this one would think that Frank Sinatra was an total Bastard,egomaniac and surrounded by Members of the Italian Mafia.Joel Edgerton put's on a good show as Rod Blue easy going Aussie bloke who try's and succeeds in bringing Mr Sinatra over too sidney Australia and get's the ride of his life from this,learns some lessons on life and goes on. everything about this movie smells of Averageness,but after watching it and spendin sometime thinking about it and watching again well it's a good movie to rent if you want a feel good movie, it has Romance,comedy and a little adventure.

I watched this title billed as a comedy. It's not really because there aren't any laughs in it.

This film gives a version of events from a notorious Frank Sinatra tour of Australia in the 70s. I'm not a big Sinatra fan - but I rented this film for a £1 from my satellite provider. You can afford to go wrong for a pound.

Sadly it isn't a comedy on any level really. It just doesn't function in that way. It's a solid (solid to wooden) sentimental romance story though - gentle if somewhat uninvolving, take it or leave it affair. Roguish main character with straight-laced opposite number - will they or won't they chemistry (which never really becomes that compelling).

A good solid performance can be found with pretty much every actor involved in this uninspiring, two dimensional script in a robust and professional fashion.

Nobody really manages to lift the script with a standout display.

If I would offer any criticism, it would be the lack of character development. The characters are incredibly under developed and shallow. We know that Audry Appleby is supposed to be intelligent because Rod Blue clumsily points out her degree certificate, and she stands next to it in shot a couple of times. We know that Rod Blue is a bit of an Aussie bloke because he gets into a couple of fights (you see the injuries, but generally not the fights). That's about the depth that you get offered.

I would describe this as forgettable and bland. I wouldn't recommend it - albeit, it's far from awful. You never really care what the film is ultimately going to culminate in. It won't irritate you, you won't dislike it - there is nothing to be offended by here. They are remarkably delicate with the portrayal of Frank Sinatra himself - so even the fans won't be barbed.

Watch it or don't watch it, but don't expect too much.

I managed to catch Paul Goldman's "The Night We Called It A Day" the last time it was being shown in a Toowoomba cinema. I took my sister with me. The movie was about three minutes in when I realised that it was me, my sister and a man in a Top Gun-esque fighter jacket that were going to see it for the final time on a giant screen (well, not giant really. That cinema needs to be repaired). Anyway, three people were watching this movie, and I was p***ed off that no one else bothered. That emotion was countered, I guess, when I paid attention to what was being projected onto this dilapidated screen. Superb performances by Joel Edgerton and David Field and a fine looking Frank Sinatra by the guy (and let's not forget this) who was a frighteningly aggressive rule-breaker in "Easy Rider." I don't know why this movie was bagged to the high heavens by Australian critics and audiences (or lack thereof) alike. It's a great movie and those who don't appreciate it, even marginally, oughta see it again. Go to the Toowoomba cinema to see it, okay? There's nobody around that will talk over the trailers...

A surprisingly entertaining comedy about a young Aussie promoter (Joel Edgerton) who manages to convince Frank Sinatra and his crew to visit Australia for a few shows. All goes well until Frank Sinatra (Dennis Hopper) runs into a TV reporter (played by Ally McBeal's Portia de Rossi) who claims he spat on her at the airport. Frank won't apologise so in steps the ACTU led by a hilariously boof-headed Bob Hawke (wonderfully played by David Field of Two Hands fame) to bring Ol' Blue Eyes' tour to a stand-still, no room service, no phone, no water!

The story follows the usual Hollywood style of story telling with the end of "act 2" being a big downer (everything just goes wrong) and of course it all comes good in the end. The acting is quite good across the board with cheeky Aussie comedy sitting alongside moving drama effortlessly.

Frank Sinatra's music plays a big part in the film so if you're a fan you'll love the film, of course on the other hand if you can't stand his music then this may not be the film for you. The film makers did think to throw in a bit of 70s rock (think Led Zeppelin) and even an Elvis track to add a bit of variety to the mix.

The only time in cringed during the whole film was when Frank's US-based secretary pronounced Australia with a fake American accent and put an "R" on the end, a common mistake made by Australian actors.

3.5/5

See it if:

• you like Frank Sinatra

• you'd like to visit Australia in the 1970s

• you want to see a hilarious portrayal of a young Bob Hawke (Hazel Hawke included)

• you like Rose Byrne (for the guys) or Joel Edgerton (for the girls)

• you like knuckle busting fist fights

• you don't think Melanie Griffith's top lip isn't too big

Don't see it if:

• you don't like Frank Sinatra

• you can't stand the thought of Sydney in 1974

• you think Bob Hawke was the best PM ever

• you wince whenever you hear a meaty punch

• you think Melanie Griffith's top lip should have its own post code

Besides just the title change between the Australian release and the rest of the world, this is a film that obviously stirred up a lot of controversy and passion in Australia, given the reviews posted below. Quite understandable, given the political and social portraits it painted, very sharply and yet with great humor. (My favorite laugh: not even spoken, the newspaper headlines in the street when the "incident" becomes full-blown: "Regrets: He Has a Few" Ha!) And also that the Aussies know Bob Hawke and some of the other characters, and remember this outrageous incident well, and the rest of the world doesn't.

I found it to be a little gem of a film that I just discovered in my ongoing drive to see more Hopper films and revisit some that I hadn't seen since the '60s and '70s. And Hopper's performance as Sinatra was not the least of its charms: the romance and tribulations of the eminently likable promoter Rod Blue (who could forget that name?) and the utterly charming Audrey had that light touch of Hollywood and still the honest edge of Australian films.

Melanie Griffin is fully typecast as Barbara Marx and her complex and yet vapid relation with Sinatra is pathetic at first and gradually becomes a thing of warmth and understanding. The dramatic arc just really worked for me, although I kept thinking "How much of this really happened? They couldn't make up stuff about FRANK SINATRA, for crying out loud!"