Worth: $12.00
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Cast:
Krew Boylan, Daniel Webber, Jean Kittson, Thomas Campbell, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Celeste Barber
Intro:
As a comedy, it’s not overly funny; as a social commentary it’s very messy, and as a character study it’s hard to care about Red.
Dolly Parton is an international treasure, from her humble beginnings to her status as one of the most generous people in show business, Dolly is truly an inspiration. Her inspirational nature has not been lost on writer/star Krew Boylan and director Gracie Otto as they punctuate Seriously Red with some of Dolly’s bon mots (on screen in a pretty font) that also serve as a storytelling device. Thank goodness for Dolly and her wisdom, for without that, Krew Boylan’s script may have sunk further into ludicrous bathos than it already does.
Raylene “Red” Delaney (Boylan) works as a house appraiser for a real estate firm. She’s excessively quirky and more than a little annoying. At whatever age she is (too old), she’s still living in her mother Viv’s (Jean Kittson) garage and is doing a millennial float. Aimless, the only thing she has grounding her is her best friend Francis (Thomas Campbell) and her obsession with Dolly. After being tricked into attending the annual work awards in full Dolly regalia she is awarded the “office clown” award, and to counter the humiliation she decides to sing a version of ‘9 to 5’ for her sneering co-workers.
“Dolly” is a surprise hit. But Red takes the confidence boost a little too far and the repercussions at the office the next day see her being fired, or quitting. Luckily for Red, a manager for a celebrity impersonation firm sees her performance and gives her a card. Teeth (Celeste Barber) is also managing an Elvis Presley impersonator (Rose Byrne) who figures into Red’s journey in a curious manner (Boylan may be trying to say something about drag kings, or she may be trying to comment on the trans experience, either way it doesn’t work).
Soon, Red is packing her best Dolly outfits (which aren’t great) and heading to Tamworth to try out being Dolly full-time. She meets a successful Kenny Rogers impersonator (Daniel Webber), who lives as Kenny 24/7. Red becomes enmeshed in the world of celebrity copies which is heavily dominated by queer people (the act of drag being closely linked to the act of celebrity impersonation in the film). The best scenes take place in Wilson’s (Bobby Cannavale) club (presumably somewhere in Surfers Paradise), where there are scenes of queer joy and a couple of great blink and you’ll miss it cameos by Dannii Minogue (playing a Dannii impersonator) and the fabulous Bob Downe.
Dollys are a dime a dozen in the celebrity impersonation world, but somehow Red manages to get on the A-List. In time, she becomes Dolly to Kenny’s Kenny – Kenny Rogers by deed poll. Red tries to impress upon Viv and Francis that she has found her calling and she can be the best Dolly and get paid. Francis, who has been her friend since childhood, has put up with a lot of crap from Red, and eventually gets burned out by her selfishness and callow attitude. Viv is generally unimpressed by everything Red has done – we can’t entirely be sure why, the division between the two seems as manufactured as their eventual reconciliation. Red – or more specifically – Dolly, moves in with Kenny and for a while they are hot property both as a couple and an act.
Red undergoes breast augmentation to be more like Dolly, something she insists she is doing for herself. However, living as Dolly 24/7 (Kenny doesn’t want to know Red, and he refuses to let her know whoever he is under the impersonator) takes its toll on the protagonist and she begins to wonder where Dolly ends, and she begins.
What could be an interesting discussion about identity and parasocial relationships with stars, is left by the wayside for a more conventional narrative about a woman finding herself. Seriously Red is Boylan’s first script, and although it has the legitimate seal of approval from Dolly herself, there is something lacking about the comedy/musical. What precisely is Boylan attempting to say?
One aspect that doesn’t disappoint is the excellent production design by Penny Southgate and the even better costume design by Tim Chappel (who is responsible for the costumes on the vastly superior The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert). It’s also great to hear Dolly’s own songs when they aren’t being low-key mangled by Boylan.
Boylan gives an adequate performance as Red, but not much of one as Dolly. Red herself isn’t at all easy to like and Boylan manages to convey her self-absorption well (although where Red’s road to redemption leads her will raise some eyebrows). Webber is quite good as the obviously damaged Kenny, but it is Thomas Campbell who shines as Francis; a friend that has done his best by Red even to his own detriment. Bobby Cannavale’s scenes as Wilson, a former Neil Diamond impersonator, are proof that he’s probably a bit too polished as an actor to be hanging out in this film. Rose Byrne’s Elvis is just bewildering.
Gracie Otto has the chops to be a great fiction director after her work in documentary and TV. Her direction isn’t deficient in Simply Red – there are some great scenes including a musical number that Red imagines whilst going under anaesthesia, but Boylan’s script doesn’t translate to the great Aussie camp film that the production is aiming for.
Seriously Red is trying to sneak into the pantheon of Australian musicals with a deep heart; but it is no Muriel’s Wedding nor is it The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and what makes it miss the mark is that it doesn’t have much at the heart of it at all. As a comedy, it’s not overly funny; as a social commentary it’s very messy, and as a character study it’s hard to care about Red. While it is good to see Australian film embracing the jukebox musical again, Seriously Red will have the audience wondering why the movie wasn’t titled Seriously, Red? because there is a lot they have to swallow to make it believable.
