This is one of those movies that seems like it has been produced from an untreated theatrical script. Every part of it was unrealistic, cliched and overwrought. The one-word description of this film would be 'hackneyed'.
In one scene, Gina enters a corporate bar, and can't get served. She 'unveils' the shallowness of the corporate set by buying an expensive suit, and (predictably) earning their respect. In another, the 'lovable scoundrels' trick a group of wealthy investment bankers into investing millions of dollars in their new venture, without telling them what their company does. Besides being unrealistic and unoriginal, these scenes seem like the enactment of some bored screenwriter's 'what if I had a million dollars' daydream.
In another scene, tension develops when Gina makes a romantic choice between her two available and interested colleagues. A love triangle with 2 men, where the woman decides... how unpredictable.
If you feel like you have seen a million films where someone cheats their way to get what they want, only to face problems with their unearned success, then it's probably because you have. I'm thinking 'Shallow Grave', which at least was disturbing and believable, 'Romy and Michele's Highschool Reunion', where this theme was enriched with themes of low self-esteem, 'The Associate' and 'The Nutty Professor', both of which at least had interesting makeup, and the telemovie 'The Companion', which was frankly awful. Yet this film has none of the merits of any of these other productions.
It should be HIGHLY INSTRUCTIVE that in the top 100 grossing films of all time, there are only ONE film which makes significant use of this theme - 'Catch me if you can', which was based on a true story. (It clocks in around the 90s). NOBODY IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS THEME.
Tom Long's character was kind of stilted and odd, but it is probably the most compelling performance of the group. The acting wasn't bad on the whole, but each of these actors should have been savvy enough to reject this terrible screenplay.
There are many great actors, directors, DPs and post firms in australia. Sure, there's not a lot of money for film here. But there are also great low-budget art films from many places around the world. I can't understand for the life of me why good australian films are so rare. It must be the writing! Why don't we try importing some screenplays - god knows there are enough unused ones out there.
In one scene, Gina enters a corporate bar, and can't get served. She 'unveils' the shallowness of the corporate set by buying an expensive suit, and (predictably) earning their respect. In another, the 'lovable scoundrels' trick a group of wealthy investment bankers into investing millions of dollars in their new venture, without telling them what their company does. Besides being unrealistic and unoriginal, these scenes seem like the enactment of some bored screenwriter's 'what if I had a million dollars' daydream.
In another scene, tension develops when Gina makes a romantic choice between her two available and interested colleagues. A love triangle with 2 men, where the woman decides... how unpredictable.
If you feel like you have seen a million films where someone cheats their way to get what they want, only to face problems with their unearned success, then it's probably because you have. I'm thinking 'Shallow Grave', which at least was disturbing and believable, 'Romy and Michele's Highschool Reunion', where this theme was enriched with themes of low self-esteem, 'The Associate' and 'The Nutty Professor', both of which at least had interesting makeup, and the telemovie 'The Companion', which was frankly awful. Yet this film has none of the merits of any of these other productions.
It should be HIGHLY INSTRUCTIVE that in the top 100 grossing films of all time, there are only ONE film which makes significant use of this theme - 'Catch me if you can', which was based on a true story. (It clocks in around the 90s). NOBODY IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS THEME.
Tom Long's character was kind of stilted and odd, but it is probably the most compelling performance of the group. The acting wasn't bad on the whole, but each of these actors should have been savvy enough to reject this terrible screenplay.
There are many great actors, directors, DPs and post firms in australia. Sure, there's not a lot of money for film here. But there are also great low-budget art films from many places around the world. I can't understand for the life of me why good australian films are so rare. It must be the writing! Why don't we try importing some screenplays - god knows there are enough unused ones out there.