Strange Bedfellows

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!

I avoided seeing Strange Bedfellows at the cinema after reading a couple of less than favourable reviews, so it was with some trepidation that I hired the DVD, however it is wonderful! As a gay man I was terrified the film would fall into gay bashing and ridicule and whilst there are some strong stereotypes represented the overall charm and message of the film is delightful. Michael Caton is terrific as Ralph, a simple mechanic from small town Australian. Ralph is the type of bloke we all want as our uncle. Honest, dependable and while a bit conservative, a man with a heart of gold. Paul Hogan (forgive me all you Hogan haters) is wonderful! I can't believe I'm saying this but the man many of us have grown to hate gives a lovely performance as Vince, the local cinema owner. 'Hoges' surprisingly gives the film real heart and shows a vulnerability I haven't seen him show before in his other work. I won't go through the story points again, other than saying Strange Bedfellows is a hilarious, grossly underrated Aussie movie and one that I'm sure will find a very loyal audience from straight, gay, lesbian, transgender movie lovers who will see this film in the spirit the filmmakers obviously made it to be. Good luck to it!

This would have too be one of the best Aussie movies I have seen in a while. It has everything that works. The story keeps moving along very well, no dull moments, it doesn't try hard to get a cheap laugh and you can't go past the pairing of Caton and Hogan, two of the best. The best scenes in the movie are probably when Vince and Ralph(Hogan and Caton) are taught how to act gay and then hit the big city to learn a bit more than they expect! The soundtrack is also pretty good and a great aussie support cast is included in Paula Duncan, Allan Cassell,Roy Billing and Glynn Nicholas. English actor Pete Postlethwaite also plays the tax investigator sent to review their application and performs well. If you want to have a good laugh, see a quality movie then treat yourself to Strange Bedfellows, you won't be dissapointed!

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.