It's about life. And death. And all the office hours in between.
Gary Kelp (Samuel Johnson) is losing the plot. As he edits a medical journal called The Illustrated Family Doctor, his life and his body seem to be falling apart. A black comedy about coping with the modern world, based on the novel by David Snell.
Special Agent Matti
The Illustrated Family Doctor is not just a black comedy, it's a slash-your-wrists comedy. Talk about depressing. Samuel Johnson's Everyman is as maudlin as they come this side of the daisies. You really want him to euthanase just so the suffering will stop. Sometimes giving up is a good thing.
One thing that I wish had been given up is the excessive use of "artistic" shots by Kriv Stenders. In a film with a script that relies upon blandness for its humour you can't be "artistic" without undercutting your story. Less is more. [More or less. - Director of Intelligence.]
The Illustrated Family Doctor is a really good Australian art-house drama/comedy that will be under-appreciated because there aren't enough explosions, stabbings, shootings, runnings or hittings. It's damned funny, though, as long as you've taken your Efexor.
MA 15+ (Medium level coarse language, adult themes, medium level sex scene)
101 minutes (1:41 hours)
Film: 3 March 2005
DVD rental: 22 June 2005
VHS rental: 22 June 2005
