CRACKERJACK
Screening at the Serge Constantin Theatre, Vacoas
Saturday 17 February from 2 PM
Synopsis
Jack Simpson (Mick Molloy) is a bit of a lost soul. He works in a city office and operates a bit of a rort, having joined the lawn bowling club opposite his workplace in order to get cheap parking. When the Cityside Bowling Club is confronted by its financial difficulties and its members decide to enter a bowling tournament with the hope of winning cash, they contact Jack, a member on the books, to make up a team to compete. Much to his surprise, Jack begins to enjoy his involvement with the club, and finds himself up against businessman Bernie Fowler (John Clarke), who is intent on taking over the club and installing poker machines.
Review
Courtesy of Andrew L. Urban (www.urbancinefile.com.au)
I saw Crackerjack at the 2002 Movie Convention on the Gold Coast, in the company of a couple of hundred cinema operators and other industry folks – and we all laughed. So I guess the film plays well to a receptive audience, its humour needing the nourishment of a crowd. But that’s not to damn the film with faint praise, because I did find in it several things of merit, including a script with genuine affection for its characters and a less than bombastic approach to the humour. Maybe it’s the film’s Melbourne connections, but instead of going too broad, it stays within a range of comedy that doesn’t rely on bashing a gag to death. Mick Molloy is a suitably chronic figure to be the anti hero, and Judith Lucy adds a welcome ascerbic kick to the cast. John Clarke is enjoyably slimy and the veterans in the main supporting roles are a welcome change from youngsters – for a comedy. Molloy also deserves credit for the discovery of a crackerjack story in the bowels of lawn bowling.
Production Information
Director: Paul Maloney
Producers: Stephen Luby & Mick Molloy
Writers: Mick and Richard Molloy
Cast: Mick Molloy, Bill Hunter, Judith Lucy, Samuel Johnson, Frank Wilson, Monica Maughan, John Clarke.
Duration: 92 min
Genre: Comedy
Original Australian Theatrical Censorship Rating: P.G.
Screen Ratio: 1.85:1
Selected Awards/Festival Screenings
- 2002: Aust. Cinematographers Society "gold".
- London and Moscow Int film festivals.
Australian Film Festival 2007 proudly sponsored by:
- Australian Film Commission
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- The Ministry of Arts and Culture
- The Mauritius Film Development Corporation
- Air Mauritius
- IDP Education
- La Sentinelle
- Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation
- Scott & Co Ltd
- Urban Cinefile
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