Frauds

Coming across this late at night on ITV1 was quite a find really. I had heard of it, and the idea of Phil Collins as a demented villain did appeal. I really liked the oddball quality of it all, with Collins wonderful as a jovial, buffoonish grinner, treading the line between menace and absurdity in portraying one Roland Copping, who one might call a tad eccentric. The lunacy and non-sequiturs build up very effectively in the middle of the film; perhaps the tone might have been made a little more dark, or perhaps less light, presumably with different, less jaunty music.

Maybe it tails off slightly, but the ending somehow seems to me a gem. The absurdism isn't compromised by a happy ending, it is strengthened by a subtle, fitting conclusion.

I wouldn't say this was a perfect film, but it is damn enjoyable, far from the mainstream and never bland. The sets, by the way, for Copping's house, are fab; just thought I had to add that!

Rating:- *** 1/2/*****

I had a vague memory of this film from my childhood and it was a lot of fun to revisit it a couple of decades later. It has a bizarre aesthetic and some seriously wooden acting (particularly in the early scenes), but once Phil Collins enters the action, the film hits its sweet spot in the second act before going off the rails towards the end. The characters all make weird, bonehead decisions, which is infuriating because the end product could have been so much better. Still, I enjoyed the brazen bizarreness of it all and for originality alone it scores in the positive. Incidentally you can (at the time of writing this review) watch it for free on YouTube.

I realise the first thing people who look at this movie will think 2 things. Australia and Phil Collins grumble, grumble, grumble...Well I watched this film in as best an objective observer as I could be. I like Phil Collins as a musician, I say like, I mean I really like, but however if I thought he was awful I would say so. Sure this film was not going to win an Oscar, But it's clever, Quirky and the humour is darkly rich. The 3 leads are excellent, All border line madness as their worlds collapse around them at various moments. I really enjoyed this film and also goes to show that not only do you not have to spent mega bucks on a good wacky thriller but keep your eyes peeled, The uk and USA don't have the rights anymore on making appealing movies. Rent it, Buy it, Watch it, It will make a good Saturday night :)

Watched this one not feeling totally sure how well I'd enjoy it. It seemed like a low budget film which may be amusing for a while then fizzle out, but I'm happy to say I was well interested throughout the film.

The first 5-10 minutes felt a little choppy, like a very rough cut of the film trying to show us a noteworthy aspect we should keep in mind and doing it more haphazardly than it means to. Once we're into the "present time" I guess you'd say, the editing levels out. It feels almost like a kid's movie at times, though with a more adult-but-still-a-bit-silly theme about it.

I don't want to sell this as a "silly" movie. It certainly feels a bit silly at moments and has several moments of questionable setups, but it works for the world that's been setup for us. At least, if you're into the film, it works. One does have to let logic go a wee bit to enjoy this film. If you can't do that, this is probably not the film for you.

Phil Collins is delightfully fun in his sleezy role. I haven't seen him on "Miami Vice," but this is very much how I imagine his character on that show to be like. Really all the acting is good in this. Hugo Weaving and Josephine Byrnes are both terrific; I really liked them more as the film went on.

This is the first film of Stephan Elliott's that I have seen, and based on this film, I am interested in seeing more.

I am giving this a 7 because I did enjoy it overall. It's a fun, light film with a dark twinge to it. It's not a deep film, there's not a lot to take away from it, it didn't make me feel anything substantial. It was a good watch though. I would certainly be game to watch this again in the near future.

"Frauds" is a well acted, weirdly entertaining sadistic fun house ride. Phil Collins, who quite frankly can quickly wear thin, uses that annoyance to full advantage while putting the squeeze on husband and wife Hugo Weaving and Josephine Byrnes. Insurance fraud leads to blackmail and a living nightmare in the form of insurance investigator, Collins. The most intriguing part of "Frauds" is most definitely Collins's neon lit fun house where he resides. That imaginative set piece drives this film. If only it had concluded in a more satisfying manner. The resolution is indeed the weakest part of an otherwise winning movie. - MERK