Danny Deckchair (2003)
Based on a true story, the tale of a cement truck driver named Danny, whose long awaited vacation is cancelled thanks to his scheming girlfriend, Trudy. Danny escapes his grim life in suburban Australia and blasts into the skies in a chair tied with helium balloons. A mighty thunderstorm blows him clean off the map, and spits him out far away over the lush green town of Clarence. In this new town, he rockets into the world of Glenda, the town's only parking cop. While the media back home becomes obsessed with the story of his disappearance, Danny gets to reinvent himself in this new town, and in his great adventure, he discovers a true soul mate in Glenda. Fate catches up with him eventually, as Danny's true identity is revealed and Trudy--now a tabloid celebrity--comes to the idyllic town to claim Danny and drag him back to Sydney. Danny, however, is a changed man; he's discovered what it means to be happy and has found a new self-worth.
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I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.
The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
I first saw this little sleeper years ago when my video store owner (THAT many years ago) recommended it. I watched it, and then I bought it to watch over and over again. I love Danny's story of reinvention. Who hasn't wanted at some point to discard their life and put on another? Danny's got a pretty boring life in suburban Australia when he decides to take to the skies in a chair tied with helium balloons. Somehow he survives a thunderstorm, only to land safely in the lush green town of Clarence. In Clarence, he meets Glenda, the town's only parking cop. Of course Rhys Ifans (Danny), and Miranda Otto (Glenda) are sensational, but so too is the impossibly adorable revelation Justine Clarke (Trudy). A charming, feel good movie. And the scenery is fabulous too. It really is never too late to change your life.
I can't see how anything I may say here would ever cause anyone to make up their mind as to watch this flick, but I just have to say... "Watch this movie"! It is NOT the greatest movie you'll ever watch, but gees Louise, it sure is really a good flick. You'll be smiling by the end.At the beginning, I honestly expected absolutely nothing from it because it was "just okay", but then it just got better and better (not mind blowing great, just better and better). It was a pleasant surprise that I now have watched tons of times. Maybe it'll be your cup of tea, maybe not. Then again, I like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles too, so.... Once again.... just watch this flick. It's really worth it.
Fall in love with movies again with this charming and lovely little piece. Cute and wonderful, inspiring and as uplifting as a hundred helium balloons! Them Aussies do it as well as any Hollywood production studio. Smiled all the way to work the next day.Working class mans humdrum existence mixed with quiet desperation and crazy imagination come together with predictable but charming results in this campy humor romp set in a quiet, lazy town in Australia. Despite the obvious outcome, the antics and genuine sweetness of this romantic comedy hit a high mark with me. The actors are sound, have great chemistry and the screen play was more than adequate.
CAPRA. CAPRA. CAPRA. If you sit there like an idiot each Christmas and watch "It's A Wonderful Life", stop while cruising cable channels when you come upon "It Happened One Night" or still get a lump in your throat when you see Jimmy Stewart give his desperate speech in "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington", then, by God, you're gonna LOVE this movie! Yes - they took that goofy roommate of Hugh Grant's in "Notting Hill" and turned him into James Stewart and/or Gary Cooper and they even threw in Donna Reed/Jean Arthur for good measure. Okay, it's in 'color', set in another country and, heaven forbid, the hero gets the gal in the sack, but never-the-less this IS a Frank Capra movie all the way! It's full of charm, sweetness, fable, love triumphant and a touch of morality, but hey, with George W. Bush flushing the country away, we sure could use a little more of this right about now. Enjoy.