Dogwatcher
14 Mar 2003, 07:29
The Nugget
A few cheap gags and the revision of white rural Australian stereotypes don’t make a quality comedy, something the producers of The Nugget needed to realise.
The worst stereotype portrayed in this film is that no Australian movie can be a success without being quirky and featuring a group of ‘average’ Aussie blokes. It was a plot line that was explored cleverly six years ago in The Castle, but maybe it’s time Australian cinematic comedy moved down a different track.
Three roadworkers, played by Eric Bana (Chopper), Stephen Curry (who seemingly reprises his role of Dale Kerrigan from The Castle) and comedian Dave Hughes, stumble upon the world's biggest gold nugget and their world instantly changes.
Their years old friendship, morals and familial relationships are tested.
A devious gold digger (Fast Forward’s Peter Moon) and a morally corrupt ethnic businessman (Lantana’s Vince Colosimo) add to the mix.
Home and Away’s Belinda Emmett plays Bana’s wife in her first feature film, but sadly, along with the other female leads, Sallyanne Ryan and Karen Pang, is given little to do but play the ‘little Aussie wife’.
Veteran star Max Cullen ties the story together with his voice over narrative, but at times this becomes annoying and clouds the story.
In previews, The Nugget was hailed as being similar to The Castle, however that now classic Australian film was a social commentary – The Nugget offers little in comparison.
A few witty one-liners and a quality cast of actors are the only thing to keep this all too predictable comedy afloat.
Rating: 3/5.
Weekly recommended rental: The Castle (1997) starring Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Sophie Lee, Eric Bana, Tiriel Mora and Brian Dawe.
A few cheap gags and the revision of white rural Australian stereotypes don’t make a quality comedy, something the producers of The Nugget needed to realise.
The worst stereotype portrayed in this film is that no Australian movie can be a success without being quirky and featuring a group of ‘average’ Aussie blokes. It was a plot line that was explored cleverly six years ago in The Castle, but maybe it’s time Australian cinematic comedy moved down a different track.
Three roadworkers, played by Eric Bana (Chopper), Stephen Curry (who seemingly reprises his role of Dale Kerrigan from The Castle) and comedian Dave Hughes, stumble upon the world's biggest gold nugget and their world instantly changes.
Their years old friendship, morals and familial relationships are tested.
A devious gold digger (Fast Forward’s Peter Moon) and a morally corrupt ethnic businessman (Lantana’s Vince Colosimo) add to the mix.
Home and Away’s Belinda Emmett plays Bana’s wife in her first feature film, but sadly, along with the other female leads, Sallyanne Ryan and Karen Pang, is given little to do but play the ‘little Aussie wife’.
Veteran star Max Cullen ties the story together with his voice over narrative, but at times this becomes annoying and clouds the story.
In previews, The Nugget was hailed as being similar to The Castle, however that now classic Australian film was a social commentary – The Nugget offers little in comparison.
A few witty one-liners and a quality cast of actors are the only thing to keep this all too predictable comedy afloat.
Rating: 3/5.
Weekly recommended rental: The Castle (1997) starring Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Sophie Lee, Eric Bana, Tiriel Mora and Brian Dawe.