Reviews

I watched this without explanation and expectation. I found the delightful cast with genuinely truthful moments that were surprising and not a comedy for comedies sake.

I would encourage you to give this a go and while it isn't high theatre, it has an authenticity that the casting and storyline gives!!

I enjoyed this far more than I expected that I would, and caught myself smiling widely and hoping for the best for all of the characters.

The blossoming relationships between the coach and all of the team are reasonably complex and wide range of intellectual disabilities give truth to the story.

I sat in the darkness, laughing out loud in parts, cringing at the demise of the odd bike or two, having a knowing smile with some of the cameos, and generally seeing the time in the cinema just fly by.

There is nothing pretentious about this movie, it doesn't get overtly preachy (unless that is what you are looking for).

I nearly did not go as the reviews were a bit hit and miss. But free tix will get me almost anywhere.

I would pay to see this! And it was not only me, the whole place was loud with belly laughs.

As an ensemble cast this worked well. I have always been a fan of William H Macy, and this time I was surprised by the quality of his comedic character work. (I have a friend who is also delightfully naive).

The scenery, and supporting cast just made this fun and enjoyable.

8/10 for just good fun

While this movie is not going to be a masterpiece and held up in the future as an example of "great" film making, it was, in my opinion, a well made, albeit predictable, movie.

I did appreciate the storyline was a bit of a formula, but it had enough in the sub plots to keep me interested all the way through.

I got what I expected and a little more from the lead characters, but was a little disappointed in the performance of Jack Black. I am a fan of Jack, but am seeing a lot of the same from him in his facial contortions. Even so the character was "lovable"! The real surprise for me was the whole "Arthur Abbott" (Eli Wallach) sub plot. It was delightful and saved the show from the malaise that plagues the romantic comedy, that being predictability.

I am not a romantic comedy type of guy, yet I was sucked into this movie well and truly.

As I left, I felt like I had been treated as a human being. I had not been assaulted by the violence, overt sexual references, gunfire and the explosions that seem to be everywhere. (Not that I don't like a good "shoot the baddies" or "indecent suggestive action" type of movie).

This was just good clean "fun"! And I would see it again (next year maybe!)

I like movies that make me feel good and surprise me.

I am a non German language savvy viewer and as such relied heavily on the sub titles. It was clear to me that the translations or humour misses the point for English speakers in some instances.

Not withstanding that, I still laughed out loud in a room full of people who were looking at me strangely.

I appreciated the humour (and who cares if I missed any of it, I will never know). I was asked by a friend to describe it and I called it a "Flying High in the desert, in the style of sauerkraut western" They understood immediately and sat down to watch the rest of it with me, laughing just as hard.

Simple comedy, good angles for the humour. I enjoyed... 9/10 for something just out there and surprising.

As I left the cinema, I commented to my wife: 'Well, that was a waste of time'. This really is proof that Australian movie making is not hitting the mark at all right now. This movie follows the idiom that if you place a character (with a lovable quality) in situational comedy, and let the underdog win, it will be a hit. This time it has failed dismally.

In what is essentially a "romp through 1980's Australian bloke-type culture" the anachronisms are cringable. Stereotypical bent cops, a bad guy moneylender, predictable story line, unexplained plot developments make this a chore to watch. Unfortunately, even with the addition of a pre=op transvestite, a positively unremarkable and generally unlikeable principle character (Blade) and even with the talents of normally reliably funny Rhys Muldoon, this movie fails to make even B Grade status.

I just did not relate to or care about any of the characters. The romance linkages, of which there are two, were just not engaging. I was not drawn into the story and as an indicator; I caught myself looking at my watch, checking the time six times through the movie. (Why did I count that?)

George Elliot who plays Ronnie 'Blade' Gillette, wrote this film 'for people - just ordinary, average Aussie people'. Did I miss the point to this inane story? As an actor he makes a good hotel operator, a jet helicopter pilot and professional Nascar racer, all part of his previous claims to fame. I commend the drive it takes to do this, but it really needs help and direction.

Sadly, there was potential in the plot, and some good work has been wasted, as the production quality was good for me. The sets looked genuine, from what I remember from those times. There is some great characterisation work in the cast, but without the depth in the story to support them, it is wasted.

I suppose the meaning of this movie will strike me in the future as the synapses flash in my non-drug influenced brain in the next few weeks, but for now I have missed the point. Maybe by the time the sequel comes out…

4/10