Siam Sunset (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

John Polson

Writers:

Max Dann (written by)
Andrew Knight (written by)

Release Date:

9 September 1999 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

In the battle between man and the universe...back the universe.

Plot:

A British design executive (Linus Roache), who seemingly has everything going for him has his life totally...

Plot Keywords:

Eccentric | Bus | Australia | Refrigerator | Tourist

Awards:

6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Linus Roache	...	Perry
Danielle Cormack	...	Grace
Ian Bliss	...	Martin
Roy Billing	...	Bill Leach
Alan Brough	...	Stuart Quist
Rebecca Hobbs	...	Jane
Terry Kenwrick	...	Arthur Droon
Deidre Rubenstein	...	Celia Droon
Peter Hosking	...	Roy Wentworth
Victoria Eagger	...	Rowena Wentworth
Robert Menzies	...	Eric
Eliza Lovell	...	Michelle
Heidi Glover	...	Stephanie Droon
Lachlan Standing	...	Ben Wentworth
Esme Melville	...	Dot

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-14 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | France:U | New Zealand:M | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Artist Services

Soundtrack:

Hallelujah

Why make a 70's style Australian romance in 1999?

The storyline starts with an British industrial chemist whose wife dies in unusual circumstances and then finds his life surrounded by strange disasters. The strangest is winning a ticket to Australia on a el cheapo bus tour through the outback with pack of 70's style Ocker stereotypes and token Asian.

As an Australian watching this film, my skin crawled all the way through as an archetypal English gent (Linus Roache) – reserved, emotionally constipated and good looking in the Hugh Grant style learns how to let go and release the creative spirit with the help of Grace(Danielle Cormack), an independent woman on the run from her partner, a drug dealing doctor.

With plenty of pacey set pieces you could be fooled into thinking that something is happening – it isn't, and the characters go nowhere in particular. A little like the aborted bus trip that drives(pun intended) the short storyline.

John Polson, noted for his remarkable performances as an actor in films such as `The Boys' and `Idiot Box' does a flip turn directing this embarrassing, tepid affair that will soon forgotten. The comedy was cheap and nasty and was worsened by the suspect use of Choung Dao as the `silent Asian' to shore up a flimsy script suffering from a drought of intellect and humour.

Score:

Puke factor: 4/5

Comedy factor: 1/5 (if you're over 55)

Value: 0/5