Housos vs. Authority (2012)

People are voting emotionally.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Move over 'The Man from Snowy River', Australia now has a new representative of the national identity: 'The Houso'.One was the product of generations of independent-minded pioneers whose concept of social security was riding a boundary fence armed with a rifle; the other is a product of the Nanny State.This is a funny movie, especially for Australians who have more than a passing acquaintance with the housing commission areas depicted in the film. Australian cinema has always been able to come up with outrageous movies that offend just about everyone, however not many of them are funny - this one is. The reason it works so well is that Paul Fenech, the director, writer and star of the film, built the satire on keenly observed truths. A unique commentator on Australian society, he delivers his insights cloaked in humour, giving them more power than any lettered university lecturer with access to all the demographic data and pie charts in the world.You don't need to know the TV series to follow this movie, it stands by itself. The setting is Sunnyvale, 'Australia's worst suburb', with a culture that makes the one in "Lord of the Flies" look enlightened. The story centres on Shazza (Elle Dawe) who lives in a crowded housing commission home with her defacto and his parents. She just wants to have a quiet bong on the bed while someone minds the baby, but Shazza's life is full of crises.When her mother sends a letter asking for help, Shazza is given a van and a fuel card by the leader of the local bikies (a perfectly cast Angry Anderson) and heads for Alice Springs with the anarchic crew from Sunnyvale.Although you could spend hours analysing the things that inspired the humour in this film, Fenech put his finger on the biggest effect the lifestyle has on just about everyone in Sunnyvale - they are totally reactionary - they live minute by minute, let alone day by day, and the only forward planning that takes place is triggered by anxiety over the next Centrelink payment.Not all the bits of business work; it gets a bit crazy before the end, but the laughs arrive regularly. Much is communicated visually - the scene of the diminutive housos set against the backdrop of Sunnyvale's most impressive structures, the jungle of electric power towers, says a lot about their environment. The antithesis of political correctness, the film is however non-discriminatory; everyone gets a thong slap.Although overseas audiences would probably need subtitles for this film - there were times when I could have used them myself - Australia's Housing Commission program probably equates to the council estates in the UK and 'The Projects' in the US, but I can't remember too many comedies emanating from them - maybe there is an opportunity for Fenech to expand his franchise.Now that a gap in my knowledge has been closed - next time I pass the housing commission complex in the suburb where I live, I will have far more respect for the comic potential that exists therein.

Not since the days of Paul Hogan and "Crocodile Dundee" has a movie captured the essence of the True Australian. This movie should be part of the induction process when new immigrants move here , and be added to the Tourism Board as recommended viewing material. If you want insight as how the typical Aussie behaves, you cant get closer then this movie. Although the characters appear stereotypical , rest assured this is how they behave on a daily basis. The only slightly concerning part was when the aliens beamed down , but apart from that , this movie is more of a documentary then a movie. Bottom line if you want to understand Australians watch this movie

This movie is almost as funny as the series, though the movie feels like the series. The movie's story basically has Shazza, who in no way, has lowered her use of profanity, go to Alice to visit her dying mother who left her, many years before. But funds are a bit tight. How the moolah is scored is funny too. The scenes at the mothers house in the dusty aired city are some of he funniest parts, while Frankie is busy outside to trying to rile some wildlife. Some of the situations and mischief that took off after this, with the Housos gang finding themselves in some pretty hot water, minus Frankie, defecating a historical monument, and worked on by some extra terrestrial forces, I liked. Though at the start, it had me at a bit of a worry, as the laughs rang short early, where I only found one or two things funny in the first ten minutes, bit then it got better. With the late Turps gone, we have narrator replacement, we're not surprised to see. I'll give you a hint. A Hey Hey it's Saturday regular, who loves exposure and does has the Midas touch, but not the same powerful volume or narrative skills as Turps, which fitted the trashy series greatly. Fenech is a comedy writing genius and has come through on this. A lot of other side splitting shows lose a lot of their laughs and impact, most of it, practically goes out the window. Not really the case here. I think most Housos's fans will appeased here at the result. It's just not as funny as the series.

This is a brilliant satire tongue in cheek comedy and highlights the many cultural diversities in Australia and superficial nature of the social upper class. Most of this will be lost on those upper class people and those not from Australia and in particularly Americans. There's no big name multimillion dollar actors/actresses or explosives, fireworks or even CGI, which Hollywood are much more comfortable with. Instead talent is what makes this film hilarious. Great editing and is fast paced all the way through. The acting is superb and the writing is brilliant and totally unpredictable. Laughter from start to even past the end credits, so make sure you watch the end credits. So grab a pizza and a six-pack and sit back for some hilarious entertainment.