Reviews

How on earth is this show so highly rated? I don't think I've ever seen a show with such lazy writing. Major plot holes, inconsistencies, logical fallacies and a severe lack of character development are just some of the issues with this series. You can see the "twists" coming a mile away and the focus on the hosts and their stories is just boring. There's nothing that really happens - just the same thing over and over again.

Despite what a lot of reviewers say, this is not intellectual or philosophical. It pretends to be but it's an incredibly thin veneer. The fact that people honestly think this show has something intelligent to say makes me weep for humanity.

This is a coming of age film with a difference. It starts off pretty typically: a teenage Greta on the brink of adulthood struggling to navigate her new world. Starting at a new school and having a 15th birthday party looming forced on her by her well-meaning but clueless mother, she's faced with making some tough decisions regarding the relationships in her life. But after having a falling out with her new best friend at her party, the tone of the movie does a complete 180 as Greta falls asleep and enters a strange dreamland where she's forced to confront her fears about growing up, say goodbye to her childhood and rethink how she views the people in her life. While I really enjoyed this film, I don't think it was adapted from the play very well. The dialogue, direction, style of acting and even some of the special effects are much more suited to the theatre than the cinema. The actors for the most part do an excellent job, but they can't quite shake the staginess of it. Despite it's flaws, it's easy to get lost in the fun, quirkiness of the film and I challenge you to not fall in love with the characters!

This film dealt with two very heavy topics: that of gambling addiction and the portrayal of sports stars as local heroes and role models. In spite of this, the director and writers brought a sensitivity and lightness of hand to the screen when dealing with these issues. These themes were explored honestly and with little judgment, but were still done justice to – they weren't brushed aside. Despite the story being one of redemption and about the power of having people believe in you, the ending wasn't a happy one and not what we expect given the direction of the film. Even so, the ending made sense and the "twist" (for lack of a better word) isn't obscure. The audience isn't left feeling dissatisfied, even if we were hoping for that happy ending.

The only thing I didn't like about it was that the dialogue was very rough and course. While it's typical of the way Australians talk, it felt overbearing. The dialogue could have been slightly more eloquent but have taken nothing from the feel of the movie and the characterisation.

In terms of production value, there were a few sections of the film where the sound recording quality wasn't as good as it should have been. It's hard to look past, which is unfortunate because the rest of the movie is done very well.

Whisky Tango Foxtrot wasn't the laugh out loud comedy it was promoted to be. In fact I wouldn't really call it a comedy at all. There was no real story either – stuff happened, but there was no underlying plot to follow which is maybe why a lot of people aren't drawn in by it.

Luckily, the movie's flaws don't prevent it from being enjoyable. The events that happened, while disjointed, were entertaining. It was easy to care about the characters. It was eye opening. And even though it's hard to believe how naive Kim is, it's easy to put yourself in her shoes and see the situation as she perceived it.

Despite what a lot of reviews say, I didn't think this movie made fun of war or glorified it. There were definitely characters that did, but I didn't feel that the film was pushing those views. The film itself was simply an invitation to understand how an ordinary woman coped with an extraordinary situation that she wasn't prepared for.

This comedy of manners was masterfully done. For a story about a woman who was an atrocious singer but didn't know it and performed publicly, it was delightfully light-handed. Catherine Frot was exceptional as Marguerite. She didn't portray the character as a silly, narcissistic woman as I'd feared but expected. She was portrayed as a passionate, thoughtful, lonely and yet vibrant woman who was just blissfully unaware of her lack of talent. Yes she was a terrible singer and we all laughed when she performed, but it was done with such feeling toward Marguerite that it never felt that I was being asked to laugh at her but rather the situation.

I fell in love with all of the characters, even those who used Marguerite and those that tried to swindle her – they were just so well written and full of life. And you can't help but love those who supported and stood by her.

The ending was also surprisingly heart-wrenching, but fitting and sadly satisfying.