The Castle

I loved this film! Almost every "common person" review I read loved this film. See this film. You will love this film.

The movie is a low-budget comedy from Australia (Debbie looked up something that said they shot it in 11 days – reduced to the number of days they could afford to feed the cast).

It is a very simple story about a very simple family, content and happy with their life and each other. A situation arises that forces them to take a stand against perceived injustice from an uncaring governmental system. Honestly, the plot doesn't really matter. The movie is more like a realistically-set fairy tale.

The script writing is often very funny, but more often, the humor lies in the complete sense of sincerity in the actors' portrayals of these loving, heart-strong people. They always believe they can triumph over adversity because they believe in themselves, each other, and the basic rightness and perfection of the world. I don't want to give away too much because I like letting movies unfold as a discovery.

Yes, there are certainly weaknesses in the film. A small town lawyer is written as such a complete bumbling boob that he is simply impossible as a real person. A pivotal court battle is ludicrous. But it doesn't matter a bit. There is a bouncy soundtrack full of pop/rock radio hits mostly from the 70's. As the credits rolled I realized I had a big goofy grin on my face and a warm spot in my heart for humanity. And that's enough for me.

Parents' note: There is an unfortunate amount of swearing, with lots of four-letter S and F words. Which is a pity, because other than that, it is a perfect family viewing film with a great message of family love, support, and togetherness.