inca_HOOTS_films

Good to see Channel 10 putting some bucks into Australian Drama, but I am getting a little sick of seeing the usual suspects. Does David Field play ANY different sort of character? Colin (everyman) Friels trots out a fairly run of the mill performance but it was still reasonably compelling. Twists and turns are few but well incorporated and reflects fairly typical writing in Australian cop shows. I'd also like to see the 'b' story get a little more weight rather than be the tail end wrap up which is usually the case. Tricky to follow.

Australian telemovies have a reputation to uphold. They are supposed to be poorly written vehicles for our much trotted out band of thesps to portray clichéd characterization coupled with inane dialogue. I must say, I AM disappointed. What I witnessed tonight was an interesting storyline with believable characters and a very talented David Wenham giving my cynical mind a reprieve from the standard fare. Shame on you! I liked the program.

Wenhams' laconic Murray Whelan is certainly a treat to witness. He's like a scruffy Blue Heeler getting kicked from pillar to post but still keeps coming. You have to admire that sort of tenacity. I delighted in the gentle humour of the story and Murrays' optimism despite his train-wreck lifestyle.

Anyway, I was happy to see a production that did not contain the usual suspects and would welcome many more Whelan adventures. Top shelf.

This was one of those obscure little films put on late at night that I happened to flick over to and very much the sort of movie to be replayed on TV just because Kidman made a go of it (when they are stuck for programming). When I saw this film, many years ago, I was delighted by it's simple tale of a person wanting to break out from his shackles (ie - a guidance councilor) to try his hand in the cut-throat word of performance.

Our guy has had anough of the game and has decided to chuck it in after countless years trying to give slack-arse students some direction. After being fed up, he tells one of his students to do what you want and when the student asks him if he's happy in his job, he realises that it's time to make a change.

Neither falling into angst-fest or the screwball comedy genre, it sits pretty well as a charming, realistic tale of giving it a go and not caring if it doesn't quite come off the way you planned.

A solid cast and well written in terms of understanding the longing to be a performer was the most memorable parts of this film and I think it would be high time to check it out for myself again.