- Film Review
- Reviewed By Alan Jones
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4 out of 5
The Ugly Duckling is given a delightful Down Under spin in this congenial comedy. Here, the figure of fun is flabby Muriel Heslop, who lives in a frothy fantasy world of Abba songs, husband-shopping and wedding-dress dreams. It's when she leaves her small-minded home town of Porpoise Spit under a cloud to flat-share with Rhonda, an old acquaintance from school (snappily played by Rachel Griffiths), that the initially hilarious humour begins to turn a shade more poignant. Breezily directed by the clearly nuptially fixated PJ Hogan - he went on to make My Best Friend's Wedding in the States - the film features a tremendously affecting Toni Collette as mousey no-mark Muriel, who spends her life flicking through bridal catalogues. It took Hogan a year to raise the finance for his movie, and he was rewarded not only at the box office but also by the critics: the movie deservedly scooped four Australian film awards, including best film and best actress for Collette.
Plot Summary
A downtrodden woman seeks solace from her loneliness in her love of Abba and fantasies of the perfect wedding. Under the influence of a more carefree friend, she heads for the bright lights of Sydney to make her matrimonial dreams come true - but the only thing missing is the groom. Australian comedy, starring Toni Collette, Bill Hunter, Rachel Griffiths and Jeanie Drynan.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Muriel Heslop
- Toni Collette
- Bill Heslop
- Bill Hunter
- Rhonda
- Rachel Griffiths
- Betty Heslop
- Jeanie Drynan
- Deidre
- Gennie Nevinson
- Brice
- Matt Day
- David Van Arkle
- Daniel Lapaine
- Tania
- Sophie Lee
- Janine
- Belinda Jarrett
- Cheryl
- Rosalind Hammond
Crew
- Director
- P J Hogan
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