Angst (2000)

An aspiring horror movie writer searches for love in a world of heartache, desperation and fluffy toys.

Director:

Daniel Nettheim

Writer:

Anthony O'Connor

Stars:

Sam Lewis, Jessica Napier, Justin Smith

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sam Lewis	...	Dean
Jessica Napier	...	Jade
Justin Smith	...	Ian
Abi Tucker	...	May
Luke Lennox	...	Mole
Lara Cox	...	Heather
Emmanuel Marshall	...	Simon
Johnathan Devoy	...	Logan
Paul Zebrowski	...	Steve
Kate Garven	...	Barbarella (as Kathryn Garven)
Celia Ireland	...	Case Worker
Patrick Dickson	...	Heather's Dad
Sue Collie	...	Heather's Mum
Anthony O'Connor	...	Toaster Junkie
Jill McKay	...	Photo Woman

Storyline

An aspiring horror movie writer searches for love in a world of heartache, desperation and fluffy toys.

---

Plot Keywords:

love | stand up comedian | stuffed pig toy | film fan | 16 year old | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 August 2000 (Australia)

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Australian Film Commission, The, Green Light Productions, New South Wales Film & Television Office

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Ian: How are you?
Mole: Fine. Fine. Fine.
Ian: Good. Good. Good.
Mole: You fucking mocking me, mate?

---

Connections

References Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)

User Reviews

The story of three housemates.

I love the world of this film - grungy, but not too grungy, cosy, old world, inner city Australia - and I wish I'd been a part of it. Maybe that's clouding my judgment, but I loved the film, too.

There's more going for the film than just atmosphere. Anthony O'Connor has given at least one of his characters a good helping of sharp lines. If I have a criticism it's that he hasn't always been able to weave them together into flowing dialogue, but that's less of a problem than it sounds. The most prominent of the three central characters, Dan, comes to a realisation at the end, which I paraphrase somewhat: `I've just discovered that I'm a whinger. I'm not clever, I'm not witty, I don't make penetrating social observations; I just whinge.' And yes, there's a lot of truth in this - but of course it would be fatal to the movie it were COMPLETELY true, and it isn't. One thing, though: maybe I'm just demonstrating my naïvety by saying this, but about the clichéd "locker room" conversation, in which two guys spontaneously (a) brag, (b) moan or (c) alternately brag AND moan about their sex lives to one another - I don't believe such conversations really take place. I think some writer in Hollywood invented them.

The characters are good enough to make the film touching as well as funny, and even the peripheral character of May - the lovely Goth, played by Abi Tucker - is hard to forget (she really is charming). I rather wish the last minute or so had been deleted from the final cut - I think it cheapens the film - but it's one of those cases where the precise choice of a final chord doesn't matter very much; and no doubt SOME brief scene with Dan and May was required.