2011 was a fantastic year for Australian films that included ‘Red Dog’, ‘Burning Man’, ‘the Hunter’ and despite the fact it divided audiences, ‘Snowtown’ still made a significant impact. Four steps forward and now with the release of ‘A Few Best Men’, one large step back.
David (Xavier Samuel) returns to England after holidaying in Asia to inform his friends and family that he’s engaged. His best mates find out they’re part of the bridal party and travel to Australia for what turns out to be the wedding from hell.
‘A Few Best Men’ will really test what you consider to be funny. The film is a farcical comedy where everything is over the top and outrageous, but there are only tiny specks of humour throughout. I felt like a vegetarian in an abattoir during the screening I attended as people howled with laughter at men in gimp masks, cross dressing sheep and Rebel Wilson?!?
The cast are a shoddy bunch with Kevin Bishop the standout as a one of the bumbling groomsmen who provides one of the films only highlights with a memorable wedding reception speech.
Australian director Stephan Elliott puts a serious dent in his resume with ‘A Few Best Men’ and may have his Australian citizenship revoked as a result. The films writer Dean ‘Death at a Funeral’ Craig fares badly too, and at times it feels like Craig got a few of his ideas by typing ‘horror wedding’ into YouTube.
To be fair, the film suffers from being up against a very strong crop of recent wedding themed comedies such as ‘The Hangover’ and ‘Bridesmaids’.
I’m a proud Australian and I feel like I’m shooting my country in the face with this review, but I’m not the one holding the smoking gun, ‘A Few Best Men’ is the culprit. I’ll just draw the chalk around the body and file ‘A Few Best Men’ under terrible. Case closed.
0.5/5
‘A Few Best Men’ is released 26 January 2012.
The Popcorn Junkie
Wow scathing review but totally agree with you! Shocking movie. Keep up the great reviews