There comes a time for a mother to let go. That time isn't now.
Meet Jeannie Dwight (Brenda Blethyn) and her family. Jean is a cook, loving mother,divorcee, and on the road to a comeback on the club comedy circuit. Her ex-husband John is staging a comeback of his own, hoping to get his life back to the glory days when he was number one on the country music charts. All three weeks of them. In 1975.
With parents like these and a disabled brother, it is hardly surprising that life's not always smooth sailing for 21-year-old Tim (Khan Chittenden) who is shy, lives at home, and is a disaster with women. When the beautiful and feisty Jill (Emma Booth) walks into Tim's life things seem to be looking up. But there is another woman in Tim's life, one who will stand between him and the perfect romance... his mother!
Special Agent Matti
Clubland (Introducing the Dwights) tries hard but doesn't work.
On the one hand, it's a comedy about a mature woman doing naughty stand-up. On the other hand, it's a drama about a bad mother trying to manipulate her children into never growing up. On the other other hand, it's a comedy about a young man and his quest to escape his mother and remove his virginity. On the other other other hand, it's a drama about a young couple trying to come to grips with their sexuality. On the other other other other hand, it's a comedy about a mentally disadvantaged boy and his poignant and puissant view of the world. That's a lot of hands. Too many of those and you spoil the broth.
Brenda Blethyn does her usual good work. Khan Chittenden and Emma Booth are good but they kept reminding me of Sam Worthington and Abbie Cornish in Somersault. The stand-up jokes are funny with a good sense of being well-worn-in. The sex scenes are delightfully uncomfortable and naive. You can see Clubland (Introducing the Dwights) if you want to but I can't bring myself to recommend it.
The Australia, comedy, drama movie Clubland (Introducing the Dwights) is directed by Cherie Nowlan and stars Brenda Blethyn, Khan Chittenden, Emma Booth.
M (Moderate sex scenes, moderate coarse language)
106 minutes (1:46 hours)
Film: 28 June 2007
