A Few Best Men (2011) Reviews

• A Nutshell Review: A Few Best Men

  DICK STEEL2012-06-12

  You meet the girl of your dreams, and with the feeling being mutual, decide to fast track the romance into marriage. It's one of the big decisions in life, and so you engage some help from your pals, who happen to be some of the most disorganized bunch ever, unintentionally lining up what would be one of life's most memorable events with a series of mishaps and accidents that are just waiting to happen, from run ins with drug dealers, abuse of drugs and drink, and an animal featured somewhere as well. No this is not The Hangover films, although at first glance A Few Best Men may seem to tread on similar territory. Unlike the American films that focus on extreme shenanigans, A Few Best Men may deal with similar wedding blues in comedic fashion, but was rather a bit more restrained in its grossness, although toilet humour is something staple that is never too far away and utilized when there's a need to for maximum effect. This Australian production follows a more British route with witty repartee, and quirky, zany characters peppering the landscape, with probably the only sane people in the entire film being the groom David (Xavier Samuel) and his bride Mia (Laura Brent). The titular characters refer to David's best mates Tom (Kris Marshall) who's usually the catalyst of problems with his indifferent attitude, Graham (Kevin Bishop) the somewhat dim witted follower, and Luke (Tim Draxi) who still can't get over the break up with his ex. Together they lend support to David as his best men for his wedding, making that round the world trip from England to Australia. Mia on the other hand comes from a political family, with a senator for a dad in Jim (Jonathan Biggins) whose more than proud to turn his daughter's wedding into political gain, wife Barbara (Olivia Newton-John, probably the largest name in this ensemble), and sister Daphne (Rebel Wilson last seen in What To Expect When You're Expecting). With worlds so different colliding together, sparks fly in similar, slowly but surely fashion to Meet the Fockers, with a scene being somewhat of a lift off The Hangover when the stag's night out turned into one big blur. A Few Best Men sees the long awaited return by director Stephan Elliott, who did the acclaimed Priscilla Queen of the Desert. And I have to admit unabashedly that I'm somewhat of a fan of writer Dean Craig's work, after what he did with Death at a Funeral, dealing with something similar with family and friends' shenanigans standing out during life's ceremonies, and in a way this film seemed like a spiritual companion to his earlier work for the way it encompassed rip tickling moments over one of life's major rituals. It's basically Murphy's Law put on display here, with everything that can go wrong actually do go wrong, with a couple of surprise (some may argue convenient) twists thrown in for good measure. The soundtrack is also noteworthy in the film, consisting of mostly evergreens and oldies from the 60s and 70s, and having Olivia Newton-John lend her vocals as well. In fact, her character becomes what would be the live wire of the film as it wore on, together with Kris Marshall and Kevin Bishop drawing the loudest of laughs thanks to their subplot involving their quest for weed from which everything got intricately tied to no thanks to their being stuck with contraband drugs, and being quite inept in helping the groom settle and solve the mess they got everyone into. If one is game for ensemble films and buddy type ones where the inevitably lessons extracted will be themes on brotherhood, friendship and family, with lots of laughs thrown in from good measure, then A Few Best Men would be your choice this week during the summer season breather in between blockbusters hitting the cinemas. Highly recommended!

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• A slow build, but worth waiting for

  superted27072012-03-21

  I have to quickly start by saying that if you're not going to watch an entire movie you shouldn't be writing a review; it doesn't benefit anybody. This film started badly; it was cliché'd, predictably written and the acting was average at best. I got 20 minutes in and nearly gave up. I'm glad I stayed though, because this film snowballs in to a hilarious treat with utter chaos brimming out of every scene in the third act. It's not that you didn't see it coming, because you usually do, but that you weren't expecting it to all come at once! There's a perfect moment with the groom party, a gun and an unconscious sheep that is funnier than any single part of the Hangover, though taken as a whole it falls a little short. If you're expecting to be knocked out by a sensitive, provocative and intelligent drama then you'll be disappointed, but not every film should cater to the highest common denominator. If you've got 138 minutes to kill and feel like laughing at something preposterous then you could do a lot worse than this.

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• Different strokes for different folks

  hartcherd542012-03-10

  Funny isn't it how one film can illicit such varied responses from different people? But of course those who dislike it most yell the loudest - yes I'm looking at you nicakpopolis and co - I'm sorry that you're so smart and the rest of the audience who were laughing are such idiots. Truly. Just because you didn't like a movie, it doesn't make the rest of us fools. Ego out of control. And if you didn't even watch the whole thing (chrisliz) then you probably shouldn't review it. And if you didn't like the trailer why would you see it anyway!? Aren't people funny? Anyway I reckon this movie is OK. It doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. If you're after a bit of laugh out loud escapism this is for you (and if it isn't...stay at home or see something else and save us all from having to read your bile ridden comments). Cheers mark

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• A laugh out loud comedy from start to finish.

  kca732012-01-10

  Previewed at the Rome film festival. Even given the fact that festival films are usually pretty poor - and you are grateful for anything average - A Few Best Men is hilarious. Olivia Newton John (and, no, she's not 'nearly 70' reviewer No 1, but 63) delivers a stand-out performance as an elegant mother of the bride and Brit' actor Kris Marshall brings a smile to the face every time he's on screen. It's a sharp script, slapstick at times, and sums up the mood of a contemporary expensive wedding. Why there has been a recent fashion of having three best men to a wedding - and I've been to several in recent years - I don't know. But the writer exploits the situation and also the clash of cultures between Britain and Australia. Good performances all round, some very funny scenes and a realism which works in comedy. I can be a miserable film-watcher and have walked out of plenty. But this brightened my week.

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• Wasn't the worst movie I've ever watched

  sylent1-9-1936392012-03-22

  I usually like Brit humor and, to be honest, movies that make me cringe I don't usually find entertaining. Other than the most vomitous soundtrack I have ever subjected my ears to this was NOT as bad as some reviewers have indicated. I don't know why someone that is offended by low brow humor would even watch this kind of comedy. And I find it a LITTLE bit pretentious to expect this movie to be Henry James. For what it was it wasn't too bad. It was predictable in places and , I confess to cringing more than once, but I didn't expect some esoteric mind numbing voyage when I watched the movie and in that I wasn't disappointed. As one reviewer said it wasn't "Death at a Funeral" but I don't feel I have wasted hours of my life.

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