Not Suitable For Children
- Year:2012
- Rating:MA
- Director:Peter Templeman
- Cast:Clare Bowen, Ryan Kwanten, Bojana Novakovic, Alice Parkinson
- Release Date:July 12, 2012
- Distributor:Icon
- Running time:91 minutes
- Film Worth:$17.00
- FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
This smart, soulful and surprisingly darkly-hued comedy throws up a handful of interesting questions about personal responsibility.
A comedy involving cancer? Laughs of the dark variety can be difficult to get right, but in one crucial scene, Not Suitable For Children's impressive debut director, Peter Templeman, proves that he obviously knows how to hit the right balance. When twentysomething party animal, Jonah, is informed that he has testicular cancer by his not unsympathetic but strangely removed doctor, a rolling tide of emotions - brilliantly evinced by Ryan Kwanten in a moving moment that speaks volumes of his innate sensitivity and skill as an actor - plays out across his face. There are no stupid jokes about singing soprano or obvious, awkward leg crossing - Templeman and his screenwriter, Michael Lucas, are too savvy for that. They don't find cancer funny, but rather gouge humour from the strange things that it ultimately prompts Jonah to do.
Living day to day in Sydney's hip inner west suburb of Newtown on money that he makes from holding big, wild, pay-to-get-in house parties, Jonah is the very picture of young adult irresponsibility. But when he learns that his bout of non-life-threatening testicular cancer will render him infertile, Jonah suddenly starts to hear his biological clock ticking - loudly - and decides that he actually wants to have kids. Looking up old girlfriends and anyone even remotely appropriate to the task of bearing his progeny, Jonah - with the hesitant help of his flatmates, Stevie (Sarah Snook) and Gus (Ryan Corr) - starts his search for Miss Right Now.
With its thumping soundtrack, attractive cast, and hip setting of share houses, cafes and party pads, Not Suitable For Children is unashamedly aimed at a cool young audience. That's not to say, however, that it lacks soul and genuine warmth. This is a wry, engaging, deeply humanist film with pointed, interesting things to say about personal responsibility...and when you should and shouldn't accept it.
