The Little Death

This is the Hollywood's golden fleece, the sex comedy that Hollywood is always trying to make, and reliably always falls flat on its face with. And amazingly, all of a sudden there is this tiny movie that nobody counted on, and it's perfect, and it's from Australia.

It's not even that it's an "alternative" film. The actors have that glossy soap-opera-star quality to them that I hate so much about Hollywood. They live in better apartments than me, they drive better cars then me (or, they drive cars), their engagement rings are way clunkier than anything I could afford. One major difference between this and the standard Hollywood fare is that the whole shindig is never trying to suck up to me by trying to make me feel like I'm part of this world. Most of all, though, the script is simply outstanding. As it should be if someone has to invest a mountain of money to turn it into a movie. Next, the actors know their craft. They're not just better looking people whom someone has put in front of a camera. And that's pretty much all their is to the big mystery why Hollywood apparently can't make a good sex comedy.

PS: This movie entertained me while I was watching it, and kept me thinking afterwards.

Finally...

With The Little Death I feel like we've finally turned a corner with Australian films - especially comedies. Writer/Director Josh Lawson has put together a brilliantly funny, original film that needs to be seen.

The Little Death examines several suburban Austalian couples' and how their sex lives and fantasies affect their relationships. As Josh's character Paul mentions in a scene, "Whatever happened to good old, run of the mill sex? People have to complicate it with all this kinky stuff".

Each couple have a fascinating, hilarious, heart-warming story that never seems over the top. This movie is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and I can't remember the last time we got that in an Australian comedy. Do yourself a favour - do not miss this movie!!!

The first thing I did after watching the film was check social media - was it just me or did everyone else agree this was a great flick? Happily it wasn't just me, I couldn't find a bad tweet. Yes, it's an awkward topic, and not that I'm a prude but I did have trepidations about going to see a movie about sexual fetishes. But actually, that's what gave it it's humour, along with the incredible performances by not one, but every single cast member. At no time did I wish that we went back to one of the other story lines because each one was engaging in its own right. The film somehow manages to be light hearted and appealing to adults of all ages, while at the same time meandering through sophisticated undertones and delivering a few thought provoking messages. This is not just a fantastic example of Australian talent, it is a brilliant movie.

I'm reminded of the immortal words from Diff'rent Strokes: 'Now the world don't move to the beat of just one drum, what might be right for you, may not be right for some'.

A tale of various suburbanites and their sex lives coalesce into a hilarious comedy that was not only interesting, but very funny. From a woman with a rape fantasy, to a husband drugging his wife in order to be close to her again, to a woman who gets off on her husband's tears, each "bizarre" sexual fantasy is shown so nonchalantly. The tone of the movie isn't to show these people as deviant, but as everyday people trying to live their lives with different sexual appetites. And therein lies the comedy. Taking what on paper reads as deviant, but showing it in a way that appears normal. At least normal to the person with the fetish.

These characters don't try to fix or adjust there fantasy for the sake of their relationship, they accept themselves wholeheartedly. They're so consumed by their sexual fantasies and problems that they're even oblivious to a sex offender handing out sweets and saying he's moved into the neighborhood. We never find out what he ever did or go into his character with any depth. But that doesn't matter. He's only there to show how all encompassing there sexual compulsions are, who cares let alone has time to worry about the sex offender who's moved in next door.

Open a bottle of wine and watch this film for a date night. It's funny, sometimes sad, and left me with a smile on my face. Enjoy!

This film was written directed and completed to perfection. Initially I was a bit hesitant about getting tickets for it at TIFF. But my instinct and intuition told me to go for it. And as is the case most of the time it was a winner. From the start to the finish the whole theatre was trying to anticipate what would happen next. Never knowing and never being able to foresee the next scene.

With every scene change, with every twist and turn we we laughing hysterically. I viewed a number of good films at TIFF this year, like every other year. But this well be one I see again, and have already recommended it to all of my fiends. You must see this film as soon as you can, and i am sure you will find it entertaining, refreshing, enlightening and compared to most of the films out their today this is like a breath of fresh air.