Look, I applaud any Australian movie that tries to tell a story about contemporary life in this country, but time and time again local film makers either make movies too derivative of overseas releases ("the Australian 'Scream'", "the Australian 'Pulp Fiction'"), or sabotage themselves with basically lousy and unconvincing characters. 'Idiot Box' does both. Everything about it is seen-it-all-before. The friendship between two losers, one supposedly sensitive, the other self destructive, the half baked robbery plan, the "ironic" use of pop culture references (in this case the corny cutting between the on screen story and the TV shows the characters watch), c'mon, this is supposed to be original and innovative movie making?
The characters of Kev and Mick (played by Ben Mendelsohn of 'The Year My Voice Broke' and Jeremy Sims of soapie 'Chances') are simplistic caricatures, who in no way are a true representation of suburban blue collar angst. Kev in particular is so yobboish that you never care a hoot about him. Mick's poetry and relationship with the girl who works at the local bottle shop (former pop singer Robyn Loau in a ludicrously under-written role) is supposed to show him as more worthy I suppose, but again, his character is so unconvincing there is no empathy or interest there.
A much more successful and disturbing look at Aussie surburbia can be seen in Rowan Woods superb movie 'The Boys'. Ironically two of "the boys" John Polson and David Wenham have supporting roles in 'Idiot Box'. Polson as a dim drug dealer, Wenham as a bank teller.
'Idiot Box' is phony and trite rubbish, and a complete waste of time.
The characters of Kev and Mick (played by Ben Mendelsohn of 'The Year My Voice Broke' and Jeremy Sims of soapie 'Chances') are simplistic caricatures, who in no way are a true representation of suburban blue collar angst. Kev in particular is so yobboish that you never care a hoot about him. Mick's poetry and relationship with the girl who works at the local bottle shop (former pop singer Robyn Loau in a ludicrously under-written role) is supposed to show him as more worthy I suppose, but again, his character is so unconvincing there is no empathy or interest there.
A much more successful and disturbing look at Aussie surburbia can be seen in Rowan Woods superb movie 'The Boys'. Ironically two of "the boys" John Polson and David Wenham have supporting roles in 'Idiot Box'. Polson as a dim drug dealer, Wenham as a bank teller.
'Idiot Box' is phony and trite rubbish, and a complete waste of time.