Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Well, here's something you don't see every day... The Silent Type has something to say. Seems he just saw a little Aussie film that might be making a big noise in the months ahead. Let's see what inspired him to speak...
Hey there Harry,
Just got out of the first (?) screening of the new Aussie film, THE MAN WHO SUED GOD, starring Billy Connolly and Judy Davis. I say the first screening, because according to the director, Mark Joffe (SPOTSWOOD, COSI) it was only finished yesterday. The whole cast, except for the leads, was in attendance along with a number of crew members. It was really great to watch a film with the people behind the scenes and sit next to those on the screen as they watch their work unfold for the very first time. Anyway, on with the review.
Billy Connolly plays Steve Myers, a fisherman who quit his law practice to spend an easy life in a quiet coastal Australian town. During the opening scene, he is heading in to shore, and moments after getting off his boat, it is struck by lightning. Understandably, he heads off to his insurance company to have his $150,000 repaid so he can get a new boat asap. After fighting his way to the CEO of the company, (great Aussie actor John Howard - not the PM) he is told that the company see this as an 'act of god', and will not pay up. In one of my favourite scenes, Billy loses his temper quite quickly and decides to make sure the 'bastards' will pay. I wont give away too much more of the plot, but as you can guess form the title, Steve decides to sue the entity "responsible' for the damage to his only real possession, God. And so, the case is brought to the courts, and the figureheads of each of the churches are put on trial. Judy Davis is the reporter in desperate need of some "real journalism" who picks up on the story, and helps Steve with his public image. The film reminded me of THE DISH, in that it is actually an accessible Aussie film. Our local films, while mostly clever, funny, and always original, never seem to find an audience outside Australia. There are no real quirky aussie characters here, and I like that about the film. it could have taken place anywhere. This movie is quite straight forward. A very interesting and unique premise, backed up by a performance by the world's greatest comedian in top form. Judy Davis is a fine female lead, and Colin Friels handles a scottish accent admirably as Billy's successful lawyer brother. A film which should appeal to anyone who has been screwed by insurance comanies, anyone who likes an original story or anyone who even remotely likes Billy Connolly.
A top film.
Cheers
Call me The Silent Type.
