A Man's Gotta Do

The movie is about a fish monger / stand-over man, Eddy (John Howard). He has to get passed several problems with himself and his family life within the movie, including - his daughters wedding, his vasectomy and his car being smashed. A question that i asked myself, throughout the movie was "Is Eddy good or bad?" People could debate over this topics until the cows come home. But i believe that Eddy is a good man at heart, even though some of the things he does and the ways he does them, are not so good. But his intentions are good and his heart is in the right place. The movie is exactly what i expected to get from a good Aussie comedy, that is Aussie slang, typical stereotypes and non stop humor.

I didn't expect much, but was very pleasantly surprised. Sharp writing, terrific performances, good production values and a lot of laughs. Great to see Australians not pretending to be Americans. The director obviously has great affection for his characters and we come to share it. John Howard's reliably good (though his hilarious imitation of a cockatoo is an unexpected bonus) but the surprises are the two young people, playing Chantelle and Dominic. They are both great and we will no doubt see much more of them. Also the songs Chantelle sings are funny and spot on. I wonder if you can buy them? As long as you're not expecting car-crashes, handsome Americans who can't act or subtitles you'll love this film!

I really enjoyed this movie which I saw at this years Montreal World Film Festival. John Howard, the lead actor, is hilarious, even when you can't understand what he is saying. The other actors were good, and who would of thought that a Dentist could be such a good director? The only complaint I have is that it was a little too long. The subplot involving Eddy's affair could probably be cut out, and you had to really pay attention because the audience tended to drown out some of the best lines. This comedy didn't insult you by spelling out every detail or joke. Even the audio overlay during the credits, where Eddy describes his feelings, is hilarious. If that Lawn Chair movie can make it to the US, then this one should too.

Edwin Burke (John Howard) is a burly fisherman who doesn't quite understand his 20-yr-old daughter who is about to marry, and enlists young employee, Dominic (Gyton Grantley), to help him - by reading her diary. Mum, Yvonne (Rebecca Frith) is ignored by all concerned, except Paul the Plumber.

The daughter, Chantelle (Alyssa McClelland) has a friend Dolores (Amie Mckenna), and they discuss father and fiancé. A local fortune-teller uncannily predicts events.

This movie's in the likable Australian laconic, larrikan, tradition, which, while it may be rather stereotyped, is possibly worth retaining; though we may note "chicks and guys" has replaced "sheilas and blokes". The story is mildly amusing, rather than unroariously funny, but is well-acted and has its moments. ==============================================================

As an expat Australian living in Las Vegas, I managed to record this movie from the IFC channel on cable this week.

I am saddened to search the web and find that this movie received poor reviews and has no comments in the forums.

Overall, I found the movie to be a wonderful representation of the Australian character. Perhaps its because I have a daughter who is 17 and speaks (and acts) just like Chantelle.

Unfortunately, much of the humor in the movie will be lost in translation. Subtle phrases and gestures that are so Australian will not be noticed by international audiences.

Overall, the movie was a solid B in my opinion. The plot was fairly linear but the acting was top notch. Even made me a little homesick :-)