Movie review – "Boytown" (2006) **1/2

A terrific idea - Glenn Robbins, Mick Molloy as a boy band making a comeback in middle age by making songs that appeal to middle aged women - but that's a situation, not a story. As a result this gets progressively more frustrating as it goes along. There's some conflict in the relationship between Robbins and Molloy, but it deals too much with stuff in the past (i.e. Robbins leaving the band originally) and is shunted too much to the side, instead of being dead centre, where it should have a la Spinal Tap. Sally Phillips, that girl who kept smiling in the Bridget Jones films, pops up as Robbins' wife - and she keeps smiling in this film too. Apparently they could have cast Jason Donovan - they should have, to give it more weight, instead of the same old Melbourne comic mates club we keep seeing in Melbourne comedies. And what's with the downer ending? Still, some very hilarious scenes.