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The plot: When Tim, 21, falls in love, he's terrified to introduce his girlfriend to his dominating, English comedienne mother.
In short: Smother love.
Ten years ago, director Cherie Nowlan put her stamp on the Australian film industry with the excellent movie Thank God He Met Lizzie. The film helped launch the international careers of Cate Blanchett, Richard Roxburgh and Frances O'Connor. Clubland, like Thank God He Met Lizzie, is a bittersweet tale in which characters question the decisions they have made in life.
The star of the film is English actor Brenda Blethyn. She plays Jeannie Dwight, a frustrated performer who moved to Australia from England as a young bride with her then husband, singer John (Frankie J. Holden). After a few drinks, Jeannie will tell you she left England on the brink of major career success. Turning her back on her potentially glamorous career is something she has never forgiven her husband, and perhaps herself, for. Twenty-plus years on and she's a single mother of two boys Tim (Khan Chittenden) and Mark (Richard Wilson).
She works in a canteen during the week and on the weekends performs her tired comedy routine at clubs in the outer suburbs of Sydney.
Screenwriter Keith Thompson, who is also English, wrote the part with Blethyn in mind. She's a great choice for the role. Jeannie is a bit of a nightmare; her sons feel a mix of adoration and protectiveness towards her and at the same time, they're completely suffocated and fearful of her moods. The role of Mark, who has mild cerebral palsy, is played convincingly by Wilson.
Tim, like many sons of overbearing mothers, is shy. He's quiet and a bit nerdy, but also very sweet, and tries to do the right thing by his family and keep up with his mother's demands (including being part of her comedy act). With Jeannie's help, he's recently bought a van and has started his own furniture removal business. He moves the furniture of two young women, Jill (Emma Booth) and Kelly (Katie Wall). While Jill, like Tim, is a bit insecure, Kelly is brash and confident. She pushes Jill to ask Tim out. He can't quite believe a pretty girl like Jill is interested in him.
Their blossoming relationship is awkward and hilarious. Tim's too scared to take Jill home to meet his mother, but the longer he leaves the situation, and the more time he spends away from home, the angrier Jeannie gets. She feels jealous and shut out of his life, and when she eventually does meet Jill she lets her know she's not happy about the situation.
As the dramas unfold, the family must sort out their differences and face a few truths about each other.
Clubland stands head and shoulders above so many Australian domestic comedy/dramas because of the strength of its script. The relationships are believable and beautifully acted - Nowlan really knows how to get the best from her cast. This will be one of this year's most successful Australian films critically. Hopefully box-office sales will reflect this.
It is a film that deserves to be seen.
© Sunday Mail
