User reviews

When it comes to Aussie comedies, lately we've been as dry as a nuns nasty. Luckily we have this gorgeous saving grace thats snagged a ripper from 60 out on a rainy day at the G!

The Merger is true-blue in style and grace as it shows the heart that was put into this is real! We have true Aussies on Screen and behind the camera with Aussie Jokes and Aussie Topics ... and to top it off we have the magnificent sherrin being backed by the glorious Roosters! The Refugees are more than welcome in Australia and the Merger happily sticks it up the Right Wing in an incredibly comedic and heartfelt fashion. Shout outs to Fayssal as he kicks the 6 pointer into our Loving hearts!

Carn the Maroon, White and Blue! Lets make sure this filum gets high up into the specky Zone!

At first it didn't have huge expectations about this movie. David Callinan was one of my favourite comedians growing (Loved Skithouse) so that was the main reason why I wanted to see this movie. As a person who loves Country Footy, this movie kicked a lot of goals close to my heart. From the killer local community nicknames like Porterhouse,Sheepy, Carpert Burn etc... to saving the club by recruiting refugees to their side.

I mean fair shake of the sauce bottle. Missed a trick here, cobber. Shoulda called it Bodgy Creek and have done with it.

Great Aussie yarn for these times. All it needed was Briggsy and I reckon I'd of bumped it up to an 8 or a 9. #briggsforpm #bodgycreek #bodgycreekroosters

Overall The Merger is easy entertainment but it has moments where it's a bit stupid and childish. For example the sports scenes are the weakest parts of this movie, especially the final game where the players start sweet talking with the opponents, that's just ridiculous and that's not what I call entertainment. There's also alot of racism and not alot of comeback against it, alot of forgiveness while a kick in the head was more appropriate. Sometimes I had the feeling racism was perfectly normal and that's just irritating to watch. The humor parts made the movie watchable, especially the conversations between the young Rafferty Grierson and Damian Callinan. The Merger isn't bad but it isn't that great either.

Was great to see a uniquely Aussie film about footy, just before the season starts. This was easy to watch and a breath of fresh air alongside the saturated American crime and action dramas. In saying that, it was quite heavy on the drama itself.

It came close to losing itself among its message and agenda. It was way heavier than I anticipated. I thought it was very heartfelt and portrayed our multicultural communities well, though I also struggled to connect on a deeper level to some of the heavy scenes.

It all just felt the slightest bit superficial, predictable and forced. Sentimental for the sake of it. But still, it captured country footy so well, featured a couple of laughs, and made me smile. It's definitely one of the better Aussie films in recent years.

John Howard's performance and range was at a level high above everyone else's. Definitely recommend to fans of Aussie cinema and those wanting to get in the mood for the upcoming footy season!

Well what an amazing little packet of joy this Aussie movie was. We had been waiting to see it for a little while, but were a little hesitant due to not being AFL fans or followers. There are lots of great laugh out loud moments with great Aussie humour....and sad to say that you don't realise how bigoted you actually are/have been with some things. Yes there are a few 'corny' moments, but hey, it's a comedy about footy for goodness sake......at least it's not like the idiot American toilet humour that they put on TV/cinema now days. The young child actor Rafferty Grierson does a superb job as Neil Barlow. There are even a couple of tearful moments in this one. I would give this little gem a 10....but hubby is a hard marker...so we compromised on a 9 Do yourself a favour and watch this one.

Bizarre enough. An Australian film with decent acting.

Nice idea and a great message but undermined by a terribly predictable script and ridiculous plot. Pure rubbish.

Set in a small country town in New South Wales, the zeitgeist is a familiar one to many Australians who live in declining rural areas. The timber mill has been closed, people are leaving and the footy club can't get enough players to keep fielding a team. Added to the mix are a range of newly arrived refugees. Many in the community see them as a responsibility and a resource but others are less welcoming.

The title of the film refers to a plan to combine with another local footy team but the story told is of an alternative which is to teach the newcomers to play Aussie rules. The story is told mostly through the eyes of 10 year old Neil, a budding film maker who lost his Dad in a motorcycle accident. Young Neil decides to make a documentary about the local loner, Troy Carrington, who was once a footy star but whose conservationist tendencies have made him an outcast. It has to remind us of the way young Dale Kerrigan (Stephen Curry) told the story of his Dad's heroic attempts to save the family home from compulsory acquisition in The Castle.

The Merger combines the fortunes of the footy team and the interaction of the locals with the newcomers with a romantic thread and a subtle exploration of grief for the loss of loved ones. It captures the regional background in a clever way as it shows different reactions to change. From the opening frames it looks fantastic.

There are lots of wonderful characters too, in particular the young lad played by Rafferty Grierson and his mother played by the winning Kate Mulvany (a Patricia Arquette lookalike). The maestro here though is beloved stand-up comedian Damian Callinan who wrote the script and plays the central character, Troy. Callinan is now an undisputed Aussie legend.

Like The Castle (Australia's #1 loved film), The Merger is quintessentially Australian with a heart-warming universal trajectory, cajoling the audience along on a steady stream of endearing, wry humour, definitely not coarse or broad but often laugh-out-loud. The soundtrack of stellar Australian musicians including rousing songs from Daddy Cool, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and more is a match for the other brilliant elements.

The Merger is an instant Aussie classic that will do a power of good, not just for audience members but by gently prodding the national psyche of refugee averse Australia. There's many a touching moment, too with plenty of scope for a sob if you are so inclined.

Andrew Bunney Three D radio Let's Go To The Pictures

It's predictable dross. Nothing great about this. None of the characters have a skerrick of realism or believably and that's made even worse by cardboard acting from the likes of John Howard.

It's yet another nail in Australian film and tv's slow death.

As Australian as a hot meat pie and a pair of well-worn thongs, The Merger is a quintessential ocker production but one also with a heart and message that will resonate with viewers of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds, making this local yarn a genuine winner.

Based on its lead actor and screenwriter Damian Callinan's well regarded one man show of the same name, audience's won't be overly surprised by where The Merger's plot line of underdogs up against the odds takes them but that matters little when there's so much heart and soul on display in Mark Grentell's film, along with a winning collection of character's that fittingly take the leap from stage to screen.

Taking place in the fictional small country town of Bodgy Creek and focusing around the struggling Bodgy Creek Australian Rules Football club The Rooster's, whose demolished asbestos ridden club rooms are the least of the clubs worries, The Merger nails small town mentality and the key role sport plays in these communities, as Callinan's retired AFL player Troy Carrington takes over the coaching reigns and embraces the towns refugee community to ensure the football club can field a competitive team.

Through this story The Merger crafts a truly loveable ensemble as Callinan is flanked by a fun and well-structured entourage of supporting players from John Howard's grizzled old town mainstay and refugee hater Bull Barlow, Kate Mulvany's determined single mother Angie Barlow and her son Neil (played promisingly by relative newcomer Rafferty Grierson) and then the rag tag makeshift Rooster player's who get the films best laughs and most heartfelt moments.

It's within this aspect that The Merger will surprise unsuspecting audiences, as what might initially seem like a stereotypical Australian sports comedy filled with scenes at the local pub or creative swearing becomes much more, as Callinan and Grentell shine a light on the oft hidden underbelly of Australian's intolerance towards those they don't understand and cultures that are foreign to theirs.

While still telling an often hilariously on point story of the Roosters and their playing roster that includes such gems as Porterhouse the local chef or Snapper the entrepreneur, The Merger brings in supporting characters like Fayssal Bazzi's Syrian refugee Sayyid, Harry Tseng's Taiwanese Tou Pou or Francis Kamara's African Didier and with that, a flavoursome and culturally rich tale of acceptance, friendship and mime football emerges.

Final Say -

A future Australian favourite that will become a mainstay of lounge-room viewing in the years to come, The Merger is a little film with a big heart and one of the most loveable Aussie comedies of the last few year's.

4 sweet n sour chicken kievs out of 5

This a movie is a terrible attempt at making an Aussie comedy. Jokes aren't funny and having a little child swearing is not funny. Very forced humour and fake sentimentality. Every boring cliche in the book.

This is a film that should speak to everyone it has a great story and is a down to earth feel good comedy driven by an important and touching theme.

Packed with laughs the audience I watched it with were laughing our heads off. The cast deliver top notch performances and the director applies more of the screen magic he brought to life in Backyard Ashes.

Bonzer film everyone's kicked a goal with this Aussie comedy classic.

Aussie's see it in cinemas now and help get it more screenings.

Can't wait to add it to my Australian film collection.

Has a huge heart behind it. Great messages about tolerance and community.

Really enjoyed this Aussie Film. Sprinkles Hope into the small rural town where it is set and to my heart. Plenty of laughs and the content that brought the town together, creating open minds of locals and the refugee community was extremely touching.

If people think otherwise, then clearly they are not an Aussie. We love our footy and a laugh , either at others and especially at ourselves. That's why throughout the movie they are acting like a true dumb country hick but other than that, it shows what us Aussie are truly like. Loved it immensely . I'm Glad it's March n the AFL (footy) is back on.... GO POWER!!!

I think Australian movies are brilliant and Merger is a beautiful case in point! Of course you can tell the ending after the first mouthfuls of popcorn, and of course, the same commentators will delight in telling all possible viewers that the film is simplistic and quickly drawn. However, there are dummies like me who are not put off by simplicity and who actually enjoy these movies because the strength of the movie lies in how deft the script is: how deftly the pieces full knowing what they are and where they fit together.

It is so easy to take it out on a film that in no way requires the audience to look ahead and to be clouded in unknowing until the final minutes of the film. Instead, we are softly floated along knowing what will be happening, and our only mental questions involve how the script and the actors will carry it off. And in the case of the Merger, all concerned with the production carry it off brilliantly.

I hate racism and any hatred based on things people are. I can't believe reviews of this film are annoyed it showed rasists in a bad light, to hate someone coming from tragedies for a chance of a better life is nothing to hate. Check the history records, privileged and rich people cause most problems these days.

Great film and tonne of heart, I'm British and our films always get praised but I think Australian and New Zealand have some amazing films,easily the most naturally funny. Great message, message and host of characters, all played their roles and really were easy too root for. The only thing I wanted was for carpet burn to come back and embrace sayiid to come full circle but even so this film was a joy.

I'd we all accepted and loved each other this world could be great

The Merger has replaced The Castle as my go to Australia movie.

You know what, if you're searching for a cheeky Aussie comedy that contains light hearted happiness then look no further. The reviews do it no justice and the multicultural facets that surround this movie are such whole-hearted topics. Loved it and would recommend

The streaming preview was all I knew about this movie before we started watching so I had no expectations whatsoever other than it was a comedy about footy. And that in and of itself doesn't auger well for tremendous viewing pleasure...

It helps if you're Australian, it helps if you love AFL footy, and it helps if you're not tied to any politician viewpoint, to be able to really appreciate this movie with no doubt a tiny budget but a huge heart.

Sure, there a handful of hackneyed tropes but there's far more really delightful and surprising moments of laugh out loud comedy and scenes that go out of their way to avoid tired cliches.

Give this little ripper of a film a go - you won't be disappointed.

This documentary belongs to the annals of female bonding films. It follows five women from the South African townships who have all suffered through difficult life circumstances, including physical abuse and drugs as they backpack through the IMfolozi game reserve and recount their troubles. Class and personal differences slowly melt away as the protagonists truly become sisters. Along the way, they brave the elements and discover the plight of the square-nose rhino, now almost extinct from poaching, and the danger posed by two coal mines that threaten to forever alter the beauty of the surrounding age-old nature. "Sisters" also offers a heartbreaking look at the devastation that humans continue to wreak on the environment. A must-see.

This was a brilliant movie, so funny and so on message. Really made you stop and think about immigrants and how we are moving as a nation. But that aside just quirky and fun. Just such a hidden little treasure of a movie.love.