Wordiezett So much average

BeSummers Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

cody47 I really enjoyed Strange Bedfellows - I've always been a push over for small town movies - and when Paul Hogan was in it I had to check it out - in fact i enjoyed the movie so much - with the scenery of this small town, that i did a web search on this town to see if it really existed - hey it does - and now have plans to visit this small town when I make my next vacation plans - the plot was great - and trying to get Paul's friend in the movie to play the gay part was really funny - i probably would of done it the same way - i thought it was a funny movie - it was nice to see Paul Hogan on the big screen again - too bad Paul hasn't done more movies. I gave it an 8 cause i really enjoyed the plot - but the language took it away from family viewing.

Chris Peterson I like a good farce. It's a very simple formula, you wonder why so many films get it wrong. It starts with a small lie... and then a slightly bigger lie to cover the first one, and so on and so on. The secret is to make the underlying situation very serious. In this instance, the threat isn't being "outed" to the township, it's taxation fraud and the potential of being sent to jail that underpins the frantic farceurs.I watched the DVD of 'Strange Bedfellows' tonight with my partner and we both laughed like hyenas throughout. Even though most of the plot twists are obvious, half the pleasure comes from predicting what's going to happen next, and then seeing it actually happen as poor Vince and Ralph are plunged deeper into their charade. Michael Caton is brilliant, and Paul Hogan shines too, a few slightly wooden scenes notwithstanding. The rest of the cast allows anyone who's grown up with Aussie TV to play a quick game of "Ooh, isn't that...?"The tax law reform which sets the plot in motion is very improbable - now moreso than when the film was made just last year - but it's clearly just a mcguffin to get the plot rolling, and it's not worth slamming the film for it.Some people have been saying that the film is full of negative gay stereotypes; since the only part of the film with "real" gays (as opposed to Vince and Ralph's hilariously inept mincing) is set in Oxford St Sydney on a Friday(?) night, it's hardly surprising everyone's all frocked up for a night out. The important lesson here is that once Vince and Ralph sit and talk with them and get to know them, the gay guys are just, well, guys. Which is pretty much the moral of the story. Strip away the glitter and the glam, forget about who does what to whom in the bedroom - if you just stop and look, people are all just people.I loved this - it's the Australian 'In And Out'. More like this, please.

raymond-15 Vince the local cinema owner and Ralph an expert on fixing motor bikes agree on a plan to reduce debt by cheating the taxation department. A same sex couple it seems gets certain privileges according to the new taxation laws (and what's more it's retrospective). In the closely knit society of Yackandandah where gossip abounds the two men venture on to dangerous ground by pretending they are a devoted homosexual couple.While the story itself may not be original, some of the scenes are hilarious. Learning how to walk ( "left-right-left-right-turn and pivot"), seeking out the right clothes ( "You look divine!"), adopting new phrases ("Just sing the song and dance the dance and follow the yellow brick road!") all add up to a multitude of laughs. Boy, are THEY amateurs?Michael Caton is excellent as a kindhearted mate willing to put himself out for a friend. Paul Hogan is acceptable as the debt ridden pal urging him on. One of the funniest scenes in the whole film is the interview conducted by the taxation officer (Pete Postlethwaite) to test the validity of their application. Glynn Nicholas as the straight guy covering his tracks by assuming a homosexual attitude gives an inspiring performance.The mannerisms in this farcical presentation are greatly exaggerated. They provide most of the humour. The predicted ending is such a happy one that any offense is hopefully quickly forgiven. Helping out a mate seems the right thing to do but sometimes it can get you into a whole heap of trouble.

bigguy31 Following in the footsteps of "The Castle" and "Crackerjack" comes another sweet-humored Australian comedy.Normally, the thought of having to put up with Paul Hogan for two hours would be enough keep most people away from a theatre, but Hogan and Caton as the affectionate 'squabbling old-couple' friendship is a highlight.The premise is not overly original, a small town theatre owner (Paul Hogan) convinces a mechanic friend (Michael Caton) to pretend they are a gay couple to claim tax advantages. What follows as they try to hide their scheme from the other townsfolk, while trying to learn how to be 'gay' for the tax inspector, are the highlights of the movie. Hilarity ensues when our heroes travel to Sydney for the (gay) mardi-gras to study gay culture.The climax is very predictable and somewhat unsatisfying, but overall the slapstick style is worth the cost of admission.