Crackerjack (2002)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Paul Moloney

Writers:

Mick Molloy (written by)
Richard Molloy (written by)

Release Date:

7 November 2002 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

It's on for young and old

Plot:

When dwindling membership and increasing overheads makes a local bowling club and prime candidate for a takeover...

Plot Keywords:

Lawn Bowls | Scam | Parking Space

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Mick Molloy	...	Jack Simpson
Bill Hunter	...	Stan Coombs
Frank Wilson	...	Len Johnson
Monica Maughan	...	Eileen
John Clarke	...	Bernie Fowler
Lois Ramsey	...	Gwen
Samuel Johnson	...	Dave Jackson
Judith Lucy	...	Nancy Brown
Cliff Ellen	...	Norm
Bob Hornery	...	Ron
Peter Aanensen	...	Edgar
Esme Melville	...	Mrs. Jenkins
John Flaus	...	Cliff Carew
Lois Collinder	...	Joyce
Paul McCarthy	...	Barry

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Corowa, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

A Million Monkeys

Trivia:

Boggera Bowls Club is actually the Corowa Bowling Club in New South Wales; the largest bowls facility in the southern hemisphere. (There's actually no such suburb of Boggera in Melbourne.)

Goofs:

Factual errors: The 'Flipper', where the bowl curves in both directions, is utterly impossible.

Quotes:

Dave Jackson: Forty-four. Two fat whores.

Movie Connections:

References From Russia with Love (1963)

Soundtrack:

Reckless

Surprisingly funny movie without the grossouts usually expected of Malloy.

Crackerjack is a simple but feelgood movie where the good guys are very good and the bad guys are very bad and the central character is tempted by both sides.

The combination of the central character being played by Mick Malloy and the central setting being the local lawn bowls clubs drew an unusually broad crowd ranging from large numbers of teenagers to large numbers of senior citizens - and all laughed at the comedy.

As would be expected of a movie with Mick Malloy and Judith Lucy there was quite a bit of swearing, but it was not overdone and the audience I sat with certainly enjoyed it!

Mick Malloy did a good job as the lazy bloke who joined the bowls club (three times) simply to get parking spaces (one for himself and two for leasing to others at a premium) but who has everything fall down on him when he is required to play or lose his membership.

Judith Lucy does a fine job as his local journalist/love-interest and there are fabulous performances from Bill Hunter, Frank Wilson, Monica Maughan, Lois Ramsey and many others.

John Clarke's dour role as the bad guy is not one of his funniest but he gives a solid performance.

The not so subtle swipes at pokies provide a bit of a serious note to this otherwise light comedy.

I'm sure that those who enjoyed The Castle and The Dish would also enjoy this movie.