Monday, July 23, 2012

Movie review - "Not Suitable for Children" (2012) **

I wanted to like this more than I did - it's got a central idea that's at least different and had real potential; it's set in the inner west of Sydney, which is a good location; there are some likeable actors - everyone is strong; it has a lovely atmosphere (share houses, coffee shops, parties, dull jobs).

But it's not that funny (it cries out for laugh out loud moments - just a few would do, but there are none); opportunities feel as though they are missed wholesale (why not use the ex girlfriend Bojana a bit more? why not use Ryan Corr and his two mates, all of whom seem funny? why not give his sister and brother-in-law characters to play? why not flesh out his relationships with characters other than Sarah Snook); it's a little confusing (can you really make money out of throwing parties in your own house? why does he tell everyone about his cancer but not Bojana?); it felt as though Ryan Kwanten needed a sidekick and also like they didn't really give that much thought as to what his plan would be until he hooks up with Sarah Snook. A lot of scenes feel pointless (e.g. someone saying "let's talk" and that's it) and it's tone varies: it's kind of raunchy (sex scenes, including a semen slapstick moment) but if you came to it expecting to see a raunchy comedy you'd probably be disappointed; it's sweet too but if you wanted something sweet and romantic you'd probably be disappointed as well.

Let's take a walk on the sunny side for a bit: Snook is charming, a new star; Kwanten is good too, and the sex scenes between them were hot (and the best thing about the movie); Corr looks as though he'd knock it out of the park if he was just given something to do; a lot of care has clearly been taken with the design. The whole movie has a sort of shaggy dog charm. Michael Lucas is a really talented writer, you can see that on Offspring, I just wish he'd done another big redraft of the script.

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