Spit

Finally Australia and the World has a new Aussie comedy movie with heart.

In a tragic case of mistaken identity "Johnny 'Spit' Spitieri" (David Wenham) has been sent to a detention centre after being overseas and missing in action for 2 decades in the UK.

"Spit" is the comedy sequel to "Gettin' Square" that starred Timothy Spall and Sam Worthington.

"Spit" opens with a shot of the underbelly of a plane landing.

I'd love a dollar for every time I've seen this hackneyed start to a film, but it gets better, so much better.

Director Johnathan Teplitzky has reprised his position from the OG and created something special that even creates more empathy for refugees and the average bloke trying to curb his ways and make amends for stuffing up his life in the past.

In my radio journalist days I actually crossed paths with the writer Chris Nyst.

At the time he'd already written the first movie and I only met him because he was involved in a court case I was reporting on because he's also a highly respected solicitor and crime fiction novelist.

At 71, he's written another cracker jack script with plenty of laughs, chockers with every day Aussie expressions like, "I'm so hungry I could eat the arse out of a duck flying overhead" and "Men are like horses.

Unless you train them up ,they go all busted arse".

Sadly a few of the "Gettin' Square" actors have gone to God including Carol Burns, Ugly Dave Grey and Richard Carter.

Good news is a lot of your favourites have returned for this sequel including Gary Sweet, David Field and Helen Thompson ("Elvis").

I love that Wenham as "Johnny" still wears his dodgy Disney "Mickey Mouse" rip off tee shirt even after being arrested for fraud and we discover "Goofy" is his favourite Disney character.

"Spit" was filmed on location around Brisbane and the Gold Coast (even at The Spit).

Lookout for Southport Squash Centre, Boggo Road Gaol and the Burleigh Beach Bowls Club.

Believe it or not 22 years have elapsed since "Spit" first became everyone's thong wearing cult favourite, still he manages to five finger discount his way through a few shops before he's even left the airport in the opening scene, walking out with new thongs, sunglasses, hat and a packet of chocolate coated biscuits.

Checkout the Soundtrack: Wall to wall Aussie songs, but not the usual suspects. Instead think "Amyl and the Sniffers" and "The Vernon's" plus heaps more.

Go see this movie and help support our Australian Film Industry whilst wetting your pants laughing., but take some tissues because this movie pulls on your heartstrings too!

"Spit" is the most fun you'll have with your Japanese riding boots on in 2025.

"F*&k yeah"!

If you have seen Gettin' Square and enjoyed it, then you really might like to see this sequel! It's all about Johnny Spitieri, the ex-junky small time drug dealer played exceptionally by the delighted David Wenham, decades later.

Wenham mentioned in the pre show program that he kept the thongs (flip flops, jandals) from the previous production and indeed they made an appearance.

Johnny returns to Australia and memorably helps teach his own colourful style of Australian English to the attentive migrants, but soon trouble raises its head and Johnny has to be on the run.

A moving but hilarious journey of shenanigans and a super fun script.

Heaps of swearing, heaps of heart.

This movie is a really good view of a side of Australia culture that isn't usually seen. It's funny, clever in some parts and a wonderful movie. It also talks about some problems in the government and legal systems and how it can hurt the people it's supposed to protect. The main character shows how someone can seem like both a jerk but also someone who really cares about family and there friends. A fantastic movie that has a lot of heart and care. The characters are portrayed really well by the actors and they feel really passionate about their rolls. I would highly recommend people watch this movie.

This is a beaut flick, and not only for us hard core fans of the excellent "Gettin Square", where the character of Spit was originally featured, although it certainly helps if you've seen and become word perfect at all the quotable quotes from that movie.

David Wenham is excellent as always, showing his fantastic comedic abilities alongside some very poignant moments as well as Spit's early life story unfolds. He stays completely in character and so likeable throughout. The supporting cast was wonderful especially the guy that Chicka is trying to kill in the mid part of the film. What an amazing turn of events is thrown into the middle of the film.

There are moments of reflection and nods to Getting Square, but an equal number of new and thoughtful story lines and characters. Very clever story and script and a kick arse Aussie soundtrack - Amyl and the Sniffers included. Yeah!

Love it just as much as Gettin Square. Thanks so much to all for making this film. A true and instant Aussie gem. Left the theatre feeling good about being an Aussie and a smile.

Arriving 22 years after its forefather Gettin Square, Spit has become one of the most unlikeliest of sequels to one of Australian cinemas most underrated classics, reuniting its star David Wenham, its director Jonathan Teplitzky and its screenwriter Chris Nyst for a new Queensland set adventure.

It'd be wrong to say the 2003 crime comedy Gettin Square was crying out for a sequel, it was a nicely contained slice of criminal pie in its own right but the proposition of getting to witness Wenham slip into a pair of thongs, a tight pair of blue jeans and sport a world-class mullet is an appealing proposition to anyone that enjoyed Teplitzky's first go-around and while Wenham's John "Spit" Spitieri was but a scene-stealing side character in 2003, here he is front and centre to a mid-tier yet undeniably better than it should be follow-up.

Following the exploits of Spitieri as he attempts to re-enter Australia after spending 20 years abroad and for all intents and purposes having been dead and buried to anyone concerned, there's not a whole lot going on here in regards to a notable plot that centres around a bunch of Spitieri's old criminal acquittances trying to get to him before the police get incriminating evidence from him but there's a fairly high strike rate of laughs (especially early on when Spitieri finds himself in a detention centre full of refugees) and even when the plot flounders and story stalls, Wenham truly is a sight to behold.

One of Australia's great acting exports that has continued to be a major part of both Hollywood products and quality home grown content across the last few decades, Wenham has admitted that the role he gets asked about most is that of ex-smack addict and court troublemaker Spitieri and it's clear that the esteemed performer relishes the chances to don the attire and morph into the petty criminal with a heart of gold routine.

While his surrounded by some of Australia's most notable acting veterans such as Gary Sweet as criminal kingpin Charles "Chika" Martin and David Field as corrupt cop Arne Deviers, Spit has been smartly built around Wenham's craftsmanship and when the film struggles to balance out its heart with its silliness, particularly some fairly soft family drama with Spitieri's bloodline and some undercooked side stories pertaining to Arlo Green's refugee Jihad Kalif, Wenham is always having a blast and bringing us along for the ride.

There's nothing within Spit that would make one think its going to have the same long-lasting impact of Gettin Square or have scenes such as the iconic court room back and forward or thong-clad foot chase from the original that fans will love to reminisce about, even if both those scenes get some tributes and follow-ups here, but there's fun to be had from this unexpected return to the world of one of Australian cinemas most iconic characters.

Enough reason then to support the floundering local feature film industry that is in dire need of crowd-pleasing films such as Spit.

Final Say -

After a hot start Spit does at times falter along its way to its credits and doesn't always manage to balance the weighty with the goofy but with Wenham on top form getting to bring back his beloved character, Spit offers up a lot of joy and laughs that are sure too please all those that enjoyed the 2003 precursor.

3 1/2 questionable English language lessons out of 5

Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)