source: Manny Lewis

Moviecut—Manny Lewis

Sure it's a predictable Romantic Comedy, but it felt less contrived and more real, especially the first half. It's no Hollywood blockbuster but was such a joy to watch and seemed more authentic. Until the usual rom-com ending but that's always expected so it wasn't so bad. Also, in a way, it was a bit deeper than I expected as it touched on that everyday dreary misery and loneliness and how the cycle can be played out in normal situations. Also on past hurts and how that can create a twist in us, especially when things aren't going are way. Although these weren't heavily explored it definitely added depth to the characters and allowed me to connect with them so much more than i expected. Carl's acting is great and the humour isn't over the top. The leading lady was gorgeous but also played perfectly and not exaggerated and exhausting, but just quirky and simple and although there was no backstory to her, there was enough to care for her character. The music was also great with a favourite of mine by husky in there. Short and sweet, it leaves you with a smile!

Having seen this movie twice says a lot about how good this Aussie comedy flick is, because life's too short to watch bad movies repeatedly...especially when there's so many to choose from. Carl Barron's story is one a lot of performers can relate to. In this movie the hero speaks to thousands nightly on stage or TV, but doesn't cope as well in one on one situations whether it's with his dad, the local Bar man his manager or girls. Like his apartment it makes you happy when u c Sydney Harbour or sad when u c the city.

Manny Lewis is fun little movie with a simple plot that is easy to follow. The story is nothing new, and follows a successful comedian who wants to meet a woman, and then he meets a woman and some things happen. There are bits of comedy and bits of drama, some happy moments and some sad moments. There's not much in the way of side plots, and the story at times seems overly simplistic, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The story flows quickly from one scene to the next, with nothing added to pad out the running time. We want to know what happens next and we don't have to wait. The main character is the focus of almost every single scene, which keeps things flowing nicely. The film is short and fun and not too long. And although it is pretty predictable, it is still very enjoyable. Additionally, it was very nice to see Carl Barron in an acting role. I'm a big fan of his stand-up work, so it was a real treat to watch him in a film. He's actually a pretty decent actor. The film incorporates much of the comedian's work into it, showing him performing onstage. I probably would have rated this film a full star lower if it had featured any other actor in the lead role (if I had even watched it at all) but thankfully it does not.

As a huge fan of Carl Barron's work it was hard not to have high expectations. I'd seen quite a bit of the promotional material that was released beforehand so I knew that the movie wasn't going to be a straight out comedy. I admire the path that the filmmakers decided to take in making it more of a serious piece. It shows you a side of Carl which you don't see on-stage, which is really interesting. I however was a little disappointed by how much of the movie was shown in the adverts and trailer, I feel like they definitely showed too much of it. It did achieve it's goal of giving the potential audience an idea of what the film was going to be like, however I found that there was only one aspect of the plot which they chose to leave out that made it unexpected and exciting. I won't say what it is, as it is quite a good (and one of the only) surprises of the movie. I will however say that it is clever and definitely something that makes the movie worth seeing. If you go in without expectations that the film will be hilarious all the way through then you are sure to enjoy the story and the characters for what they really are; something that is honest and real.

I think we Americans, have become too jaded, by being fed a constant barrage of films without much substance. I mean, when is the last time that you came out of a screening, not only feeling better than good about the world, but really happy about the investment of just 89 Minutes? This was such a film. Although the film is based on a fictional character, a comedian, who also writes novels, we, immediately bond with the protagonist, and find ourselves living in his world, happily. I know men who would give up their right (you pick the body part) to have what this guy has, already, despite being brought up by a father who was a "martinet", at best, and a mother who committed suicide when he was just a boy. You know how you were rewarded at the end of "Love Actually"? When everybody gets what you hoped they deserved? This is such a film! It's a chick-flick for guys, that are in touch with their ying-yang, and know a good woman when they meet one. Admittedly, I've been looking for a woman like our female lead, all my life. That's why I give this film a TEN!

The film was done very well, considering that sometimes, lower Australian production values can impact certain areas of the film, with this film, no such issues. It was an interesting film that told an interesting story about a stand up comedian, and I believe it was done in such a way that it adds some perspective to the fact that our favourite comedians are people too, and that a lot of the humour in our lives comes at laughing at the expense of others, and often with stand up comedians, at themselves. This is a message that is hammered home throughout, and was overall, very heartwarmingly told. The acting was superb, and the dialogue was hilarious, a few subtle jokes for fans of Carl's stand up. Though it told a real and good story, it was still executed very comedically and was very funny. Though the story may in some cases appear to have some clichéd elements to it (the loss of the 10th star in my opinion), that would be up to an individual viewer to determine, and for others I watched the film with, they found it no issue, and sometimes were surprised, expecting clichés in some places. Overall, well worth a watch, not only for fans of Carl Barron, but because it is quite a funny movie.

This movie is pretty much a flat and predictable romantic story line. But along the way you begin to care about Manny and Maria. Manny - the funny man on stage before an audience but sulking and reclusive in his private life. Maria - a nice and thoughtful woman that lives a secret 'telephone' life as her job. Manny needs someone to talk to while alone in his hotel room after a show, sure enough he anonymously calls Maria while she is on the job. As anyone could guess these two lonesome souls unintentionally meet, fall in love, split up, then get back together. Manny doesn't realize she is the 'telephone' girl until she slips up with the use of one word. The movie is a bit too long and would have more momentum had it been edited with shorter 'happy couple scenes'. Outside of that it's an average romance flick.

Manny Lewis