Rating: 
Summary: The Castle
Review: This was one of the nicest movie surprises my husband and I have had in years. We had no idea what it was about initially; now it is on our all time favorites list. It is hysterical! The characters are amazing, one of a kind. This is one life-affirming story that we talk about still, months after first catching it in a small local theater. I love it!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the funniest and down to earth movies the 90's.
Review: The Castle is one of those movies where big budgets and special effects were never a consideration. Just a great script, and a bunch of artist's who have worked previously together to bring you one hilarious movie.Whether your Australian or not, you will find yourself laughing at the in your face characters and no holds barred language. A tale about big business pushing aside the little man, but this little man wont be pushed. He has his "Castle" and is not going to give it up without a fight. I recommend this film to anyone after a good laugh as they wont be dissapointed.
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Summary: Bloody raging film!
Review: I saw this film when I was on a student exchange to Sydney. This film perfectly fits Australian humor, and I am sure that any American would be amused by it! Avo a go, mate! It's heaps good!
Rating:
Summary: Great Aussie Humor
Review: The Castle is a great example of how to make an great film without an large budget. Michael Caton is brilliant as the home owner who is about to lose his house. Some adaptation has been made for the American market (you don't understand all Aussie Humor). Buy it. It's a laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Please, please give us the Australian version on DVD!!
Review: This is the most wonderful little movie. Like others reviewers, I first saw the Australian version - at its debut at the Melbourne Film Festival - and fell in love with it. I can recite bits of it word for word. But I don't want the Americanized version, and the VHS we brought with us when we moved back to the US won't play here. Give us back our rissoles!
Rating:
Summary: A simple and fun Australian film
Review: This is a movie about people who are just happy with what they have, and who just want to live simply.
For the Kerrigan's, they think they have the best positioned house in Australia - backing right onto one of Melbourne's airports.
To the rest of us, we'd say they were tripping!
But like I said, their happy with what they've got and where they are, and they'll be damned if anyone thinks they are going to take it from them.
This film has a great reputation in Australia, and is definately worth seeing, this version is the "tweaked American version", so it is a little different from what we got over here in the cinema and the Australian VHS version, but I got this from Amazon.com a couple of years ago because strangely you couldn't get it on DVD in Australia for the longest time, although it has been released since with a stack of special features that you don't get in this version.
This is actually a favourite of Rob Schneider and Adam Sandler's which led them to use Michael Caton (who plays the main character in this movie of Darryl Kerrigan) in "The Animal" (I know this from Rob's commentary track on "The Animal" DVD).
This movie was made by a group called "Working Dog" that have just about done it all in Australia, they have had several radio shows, several TV shows, including their long-running and still going talk show "The Panel".
This was their first feature, and obviously done on a very tight budget and schedule, but with those two factors in mind it still makes for a good effort.
Their second film "THE DISH" is more polished, and a lot classier movie, and a LOT highly recommended by this reviewer (Check out my other reviews for more info on THE DISH).
Who knows when their next movie will be out or what it will be about?, (The Working Dog team are very secretive) but I can't wait for their next offering.
At the moment they are also releasing "Lonely Planet" style travel books to fictitious lands, the first two out are "Molvania", and the new one "Phaic Tan", which are currently not available on Amazon.com, but can be bought on-line elsewhere.
(do an search for "PHAIC TAN", you will be taken to a site for the book, and it is FUNNY!)
Anyway, buy this film! It's fun!
Rating:
Summary: Charmer From Down Under
Review: "The Castle" concerns itself with a close-knit working-class Australian family whose abode is situated at the edge of an airport runway. When the government, in cahoots with big business interests, attempt to forcibly evict them the Kerrigans pull out all stops to save their "castle". The Kerrigans are a quirky family, at times a little too quirky;you might even say cutesy. The film, though, really kicks into second gear when the Kerrigans take their battle to the courts with probably the most incompetent solicitor in cinematic history. "The Castle" is a light-hearted diversion from the makers of "The Dish" that falls just short of greatness. Noteworthy is an appearance of a young Eric Bana as the kickboxing son-in-law of the Kerrigans.
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Summary: Ignorance is bliss... and this is proof.
Review: I was not at all surprised to love this film - it is as dry as any good British or Australian comedy (which are my favorite kinds), as unpretentiously clever, and funny and lighthearted without being fluff. To compare "The Castle" with two other notable Australian comedies - it's not as bleak as "Muriel's Wedding," and the characters' collective ignorance is more charming than pitiful; and its cartoonish style isn't quite as animated as "Strictly Ballroom," but the personalities are farcical just the same. The cast is excellent, each character painfully normal, and not a set of folk you would see in the average Hollywood film.
Michael Caton is flawless as the simple and proud head of a barely average family who fights to save a mediocre home next to the airport. We groan and snicker as with oblivious earnestness Caton's youngest son gives us a tour of their life, from family visits with his convict brother to their weekends at their vacation property (a trailer next to a swamp). It seems pitiable at first, but as the father's warmth and devotion to his family is demonstrated, and his optimism keeps them afloat, one can't help but develop an appreciation for his particular blend of ignorance and sentimentality. For how many people could have it hammered into their heads that the home encompassing everything they've struggled to create is worthless, yet still insist it's a castle?
Rating:
Summary: Please, please give us the Australian version on DVD!!
Review: This is the most wonderful little movie. Like others reviewers, I first saw the Australian version - at its debut at the Melbourne Film Festival - and fell in love with it. I can recite bits of it word for word. But I don't want the Americanized version, and the VHS we brought with us when we moved back to the US won't play here. Give us back our rissoles!
Rating:
Summary: a little cracker of a movie mate.
Review: I first heard good things about this "quirky little Aussie flick" a number of years ago but only got around to seeing it myself last night. What probably put me off (to be completely honest) was that it's an Australian film. And you know what they say about Aussies - they're all outlaw heathen scum, so what could they possibly know about making good movies. Right? Well knock me over with a didgeridoo mate - Rob Sitch has created a wee beauty of a film. Despite its Australian heritage, The Castle has bucket loads of charm and is a thoroughly entertaining movie with plenty of laughs and good feeling. After watching so many films in recent years about dysfunctional families (think American Beauty, Ice Strom, The Royal Tennebaums etc) it really is a treat to see such a positive depiction of family life. The Kerrigan's really are perfectly content with their lot in life. They might be simple but they do love each other, love their castle, support each other and laugh together. While others may look down their noses at this working class clan the Kerrigan's don't care (in fact, if the truth be known, they're probably too dumb to notice - as Aussies often are) because they have the greatest gift of all - a nurturing home. And strewth mate, who could want more than that! A couple of minor quibbles: although it is funny, the humor is more of the quirky Aussie variety and at times a bit too - well, Australian really. So while I found myself smiling through most of the movie, I wouldn't call The Castle a screaming comedy. It's more off-beat and quirky. Also, the final quarter of the film seems a little bit rushed to me. Things were looking tough for the Kerrigan's there at one stage and then all of a sudden (right out of the blue mate) comes a white knight to save the day. You beauty! Yeah, right. A little bit too easy me thinks. It's not a blockbuster by any stretch of the imagination but at least it knows its limitations. A warm, feel good movie that accomplishes what it sets out to do. Four stars mate.
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