Strange Bedfellows

This is the funniest movie I've seen come out of Australia. It has a laid back sense of humour that you don't see too often. It's got a great location. Funny jokes without being in bad taste. The two leads Paul Hogan and Michael Caton are a great pairing. The support cast does the job well.

The movies has great scenery and the movie flows well, not one scene is wasted. The humour flows throughout and it's not a one joke movie. Accessable to all ages. This is the best work Paul Hogan has done since Crocodile Dundee and is ironic that this famous Australian seems to do his best work when he makes Australian films in Australia.

Set in the heart of country Australia, with a short journey to Sydney in the middle of the film, Strange Bedfellows tells the story of two close friends, Vince (Hogan) and Ralph (Caton) who cook up a plan to take advantage of a new law that gives tax breaks to Same Sex Couples. Trouble is, Vince and Ralph are as totally straight and must 'camp it up' it order to convince the government's tax inspector (Postlethwaite).

The laughs come thick and fast as Vince and Ralph, do what it takes to learn how to appear gay. The reaction of the locals and the great scenes set in a Sydney gay disco are only some of what makes this movie a winner. However the jokes, even the outrageous ones, are never at the expense of the gay community.

This is the funniest movie Paul Hogan has starred in since the original 'Crocodile' Dundee. He and Caton are a wonderful double act, supported beautifully by the rest of the cast, including a manic band leader in the final scenes, set against the back drop of some of Australia's most picturesque countryside. The ending works very well with all the loose ends, twists and all, being tied up.

Paul Hogan was a TV star in Australia long before the world met 'Crocodile' Dundee. Michael Caton is also well known to Australian TV viewers with memorable parts on many shows, from soap operas to comedy.

If you are looking for a gentle comedy with a warm, feel good underbelly, this is it.

Although I am a fan of the three lead actors in the film (Paul Hogan, Michael Caton and Pete Postlethwaite), I confess that before the film began I was slightly anxious that this would be a bit of a toe-curling cringe-making event that relied on wheeling out cardboard character stereotypes and putting them in lots of unbelievable 'not going to happen' silly scenarios. I was very pleasantly surprised. There are certainly some moments when I almost cringed a little too more than you are supposed to as part of the comedy but in my view the blanket of warmth running through this film carried them off.

The lead characters are backed up very well by some fine supporting performances. In particular, I liked the parts played by the hairdresser and the straight 'pub' and gay 'club' mates.

In terms of criticism, I think the script could have been a bit stronger in places and, in some parts, you have to disable your cynicism sensors when looking at the leads' very old-fashioned notions of how they think they should act to blend in as 'gay people' (but then I suppose this could fly on account of their country upbringing/lack of exposure - no offence to country folk meant here).

I would not quite rate this film as a classic in the sense that "The Full Monty" may have been, but as with that movie, I did feel quite a bit happier from the experience of watching it. If you are in the right mood for this film, you will find it very enjoyable.

Forget Chuck and Larry. When you have Ralph and Vince, you have it all. These two made for some of the funniest comedy I have seen out of Australia.

Vince (Paul Hogan) has tax problems and the Australian government has just passed a law that allows same-sex couples a tax break - and it's retroactive. Scheming to save his arse, Vince convinces his best mate Ralph (Michael Caton) to pretend to be a same-sex couple to get the break.

Laughs ensue as they try to hide their secret from the local town folk, and get ready for an audit to prove they are actually gay. They enlist the help of the only know gay in town, predictable the hairdresser, and find out a clever secret he has been hiding. He helps them, and they go to Sidney to immerse themselves in gay culture before the tax man cometh.

While this is going on, Ralph's daughter is coming for a visit to introduce her partner. Everything comes together at the Fireman's Ball with Ralph and Vince, the whole town, the hairdresser, and a select few from Sydney, and, oh yes, Ralph's daughter and partner coming together.

Great fun!

Following in the footsteps of "The Castle" and "Crackerjack" comes another sweet-humored Australian comedy.

Normally, the thought of having to put up with Paul Hogan for two hours would be enough keep most people away from a theatre, but Hogan and Caton as the affectionate 'squabbling old-couple' friendship is a highlight.

The premise is not overly original, a small town theatre owner (Paul Hogan) convinces a mechanic friend (Michael Caton) to pretend they are a gay couple to claim tax advantages. What follows as they try to hide their scheme from the other townsfolk, while trying to learn how to be 'gay' for the tax inspector, are the highlights of the movie. Hilarity ensues when our heroes travel to Sydney for the (gay) mardi-gras to study gay culture.

The climax is very predictable and somewhat unsatisfying, but overall the slapstick style is worth the cost of admission.