Saturday, February 11, 2012
Any Questions for
Ben? (M)
A film with a questioning title can, for some, present the
idea that the film questions itself. Working Dog shouldn’t have to do so after
their success in film and television, but even with a big cast you wonder if
the exploration of a man’s crisis is a metaphor for their recent hiatus.
There are some guys who just can’t get it together in
life. Ben (Josh Lawson) would win
Olympic gold in that category, fidgety with his time as he’s unable to settle
into a long-term job, apartment or hold a girlfriend for more than that crucial
three-month period.
But he’s still successful in the marketing world, living
among the posh Melbourne crowds and partying through life with best mate Andy
(Christian Clark), flatmate Nick (Daniel Henshall) and Nick’s girlfriend Emily
(Felicity Ward). It’s when he meets up with former university colleague Alex
(Rachael Taylor) that Ben finally begins to doubt his place in life.
It’s a lot of mulling over what could’ve been as Ben has his
quarterly-life crisis, not understanding his feelings and in turn not following
through. The film seems to plod along with him at times, dragging us into a
more boring state of mind for much of the second half.
You end up forced to sympathise with Ben though, as his
confidantes fail to pay any sort of attention to his issues. Most troubling is
Clark as Andy, a prototype of the best mate that somehow has no capacity to
register any sort of emotion.
Although its release is timely after the hype of this year’s
tennis Australian Open with scenes tied into the film, constant establishing
shots get tiresome. A walk the not-couple take through Melbourne is almost like
watching an ad attempting to make those not living there envious.
Music (mostly Australian) is used way too frequently, and
while the film initially succeeds as edgy the same ideas aren’t freshened up by
the halfway mark. The story chops and changes with Ben’s indecisiveness, but
while mildly annoying it still manages to remain engaging. An amusing credit
sequence especially shows the Working Dog boys have still got it.
Rating: 3/5
*As published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 11/2/2012
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