I wish I could say that this was a feel good movie that was worth the watch, but I couldn't help cringing through most of it.
The movie is set in a regional Australian city, and the conflict between the working class and their employers is set up early on, and is played out through cricket.
If I start with what the film does well; some effort was made to show some diversity in the casting (which hasn't always been done in Australian movie history). The film does have some amusing moments, but those moments were rare.
The film fails in that all the characters are appalling caricatures that are barely relatable to anyone. The management staff at the factory speak in the most absurd British accent, that would have been laughable even in a period piece set in aristocratic British society in the 19th century.
Some of the humour (mocking the Brits for drinking soft drink over beer) and mocking the New Zealander by making some vague 'sheep' reference, just made me and my family cringe rather than laugh.
As an Aussie, I am proud of my culture and Australian film legacy, but too often film makers try and play to archaic stereotypes of 'aussie-ness' that aren't really steeped in reality. This is unfortunately one of those films.
The movie is set in a regional Australian city, and the conflict between the working class and their employers is set up early on, and is played out through cricket.
If I start with what the film does well; some effort was made to show some diversity in the casting (which hasn't always been done in Australian movie history). The film does have some amusing moments, but those moments were rare.
The film fails in that all the characters are appalling caricatures that are barely relatable to anyone. The management staff at the factory speak in the most absurd British accent, that would have been laughable even in a period piece set in aristocratic British society in the 19th century.
Some of the humour (mocking the Brits for drinking soft drink over beer) and mocking the New Zealander by making some vague 'sheep' reference, just made me and my family cringe rather than laugh.
As an Aussie, I am proud of my culture and Australian film legacy, but too often film makers try and play to archaic stereotypes of 'aussie-ness' that aren't really steeped in reality. This is unfortunately one of those films.