Danny Deckchair (2003)

An Aussie becomes a national sensation when he lifts off in his deck chair tied to balloons.

Director:

Jeff Balsmeyer

Writers:

Jeff Balsmeyer, Lizzie Bryant (additional dialogue)

Stars:

Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto, Justine Clarke

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rhys Ifans	...	Danny Morgan
Miranda Otto	...	Glenda Lake
Justine Clarke	...	Trudy Dunphy
Rhys Muldoon	...	Sandy Upman
John Batchelor	...	Pete
Alan Flower	...	Ray Vitali
Julie Wood	...	Kate (as Jules Sobotta)
Brian Langsworth	...	Real Estate Agent
Steve Rassios	...	Real Estate Agent (as Steven Rassios)
Madeleine James	...	Real Estate Woman
Jane Ruggiero	...	Donna
Gina Bortolin	...	Helen Costas
Duncan Young	...	Phil Stubbs
Garrie Scott	...	Party Shop Assistant
Richard Johnson	...	Passerby

Storyline

Sydneysider Danny Morgan, a simple man who works for a concrete company, is prone to daydreaming to escape his life, those daydreams often of his unique ideas. Of late, those daydreams have been about his and his longtime girlfriend Trudy Dunphy's imminent vacation, a camping trip which Danny has been planning for a year. Eventually learning that Trudy, a real estate agent, lied to get out of the trip to spend time with a famous client, television sportscaster Sandy Upman, is just the latest manifestation that Trudy is drifting away from Danny, who she sees as just a concrete man while she aspires to something or someone more exciting like Sandy. With the vacation now a no-go leaving him with a couple of weeks free with nothing to do but have his mind wander, Danny, with an unexpected windfall of free giant balloons, ponders whether they, filled with helium and tied to a deckchair, would be able to lift him in the deckchair up into the air. Danny's balloon deckchair experiment will ...

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | two word title | danny deckchair character | female police officer | balloon | 

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Taglines:

A story of a guy, a deckchair and a bunch of balloons. [Scandinavian DVD.]

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex-related situations

Did You Know?

Trivia

Inspired by the antics of "Lawnchair" Larry Walters who flew over San Pedro, California in a lawn chair rigged with 42 weather balloons on July 2, 1982.

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Goofs

In the beginning, Danny tells his friend he is flying to Port Douglas to go camping. Port Douglas does not have a civil airport. To get to there from Sydney one would have to fly to Cairns and then catch a bus farther north to Port Douglas

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Quotes

Wing Commander Matthews: It's a tough country out there. We're talking nuts and berries.

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Crazy Credits

Special thanks to Carol, Zach, Jess, Hamish and Josh

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Connections

References It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

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Soundtracks

Screems from Da Old Plantation
Written by King Kapisi (as B. Urale) and Kas Futialo (as K. Futialo)
Performed by King Kapisi
Licensed courtesy of Festival Mushroom Records

User Reviews

Nuts and Berries

Greetings again from the darkness. In this charming little comedy from down under, Writer/Director Jeff Balsmeyer takes us inside the lives of 2 people we really like and one ... well maybe not so much. The 3 lead actors are excellent in their roles, especially Rhys Ifan (Notting Hill and Once Upon a Time in the Midlands). Miranda Otto plays the parking cop who brings him back to life, while Justine Clark is tremendous as the glory seeking user that we have all met at least once. The story, while getting started in a very unique manner, settles into a traditional little romantic comedy for awhile. What makes this one a little different is watching the changes in the faces of the three leads. They each experience joy and heartbreak in their own way. This one deserves a look.

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 2003 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Danny Deckchair

Filming Locations:

Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,304, 15 August 2004

Gross USA:

$160,276

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$805,894

Company Credits

Production Co:

Crusader Entertainment, Macquarie Film Corporation, Cobalt Media Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1