DVD Review Duo: Role Models and Australia
If you like big, romantic spectacles but also get a charge out of heartfelt yet very funny comedies, we've got two DVDs for you. Check out our take on Australia and Role Models..
From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Role Models: Unrated
In this funny, heart-o-gold, raunchy comedy Danny (Paul Rudd) is hating his job as a spokesperson for an energy drink called "Minotaur". He's been dumped by his girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) and pals around with co-worker/partyboy Wheeler (Seann William Scott) who dresses in a Minotaur costume on their sales trips.
At the breaking point, Danny goes berserk in the Minotaur-mobile and the two guys are assigned to either jail time or a stint as Big Brothers to a needy child. Picking the child option, Wheeler is matched with foul-mouthed (and really funny) kid Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson) and Danny with teenaged sword and sorcery role-playing fanboy Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Superbad). Of course the kids grow on the guys, forcing them to grow up a bit and help their "little brothers" do the same.
Special Features: Included on this DVD are both the R-rated Theatrical Cut of Role Models and an "Unrated Cut" which is just a few more jokes and character scenes. No biggie.
On the theatrical cut you get a feature-length "Audio Commentary" with director David Wain on behind the scenes info and some good reveals on how the film had a lot of writers and several shoots. Not too dry.
"Deleted and Alternate Scenes" is the usual character stuff that got cut and the cast improv-ing lines but some of those lines are really funny. There is more on Elizabeth Banks and some added stuff with Seann William Scott getting a different job; worth a look.
"Bloopers" are pretty funny with the usual flubs but these comedic actors are fun to watch as they crack up and break character, etc. Well worth a watch.
"On the Set of Role Models" is a lot on the film's abundance of curse words and you get the usual but interesting behind-the-scenes stuff that is a nice addition.
"Game On: Creating a Role-Playing World" zones in on the fantasy role-playing battle sequences and you hear from a real L.A.R.P role-playing expert who is quite informative. You see the actors talking about learning to fight with foam swords that, occasionally really hurt according to the wounded Seann William Scott. Fun featurette.
"In Character & Off-Script" presents some of the second banana comedic actors; Joe Lo Truglio, A.D. Miles, and Matt Walsh playing their characters as if being interviewed. Kinda funny but I could have used more Paul Rudd and Seann!
Wrapping Up: This film is really hilarious but you also really grow to care about the kids that are being mentored. You might see a bit of yourself in either Ronnie or Augie and it's great when both young people rise above problems to become happy and cool with the help of a couple of "adults" who also needed a true direction in life. Well worth a rental if not a buy.
From 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Australia
In this epic story, Lady Sarah (Nicole Kidman) is a wealthy, snooty British aristocrat who travels, in 1939, to cattle station Faraway Downs in the Outback of Australia to see what her wayward husband is up to and to keep him in line. She finds that he's just died under suspicious circumstances and she's left to run a failing cattle business and save it from greedy, evil big-time rancher King Carney (Bryan Brown) and his henchman Fletcher (David Wenham). Enter the Drover (Hugh Jackman at his hottest) who agrees to help Sarah drive her cattle to market. Of course the misfit duo falls in love while becoming surrogate parents to orphan, half-caste Aboriginal child Nullah (Brandon Walters) who would otherwise be stolen from his people and put into virtual slavery. Of course we throw in the WW II threat as Japanese planes go South from attacking Pearl Harbor and try to destroy the town of Darwin.
Special Features: I was really bummed. Hopefully, director Baz Luhrmann will put out a big, extras-packed DVD on this film later this year but all you get here are a couple of "Deleted Scenes" that show a bit more of the anger between Fletcher and Drover and a little on how Sarah's servants were totally against her in the beginning. Okay but nothing great. I'm told that the Blu-Ray edition has some featurettes which can be viewed if you go to iTunes and look them up.
Wrapping Up: This movie is very melodramatic. The bad guys should be twirling their mustaches like Snidely Whiplash! But I really liked the sappy love story and the story of little Nullah who is beautifully played by newcomer Brandon Walters and hey, you can't beat Hugh Jackman's buff abs, toned pecs and overall "Sexiest Man Alive" demeanor in this movie! Wow! The rest of the movie looks pretty great too with wide vistas, beautiful color and Baz Luhrmann's unique visual style that ties the story up with a pretty bow. Not a perfect film but certainly worth a rental and, for Hugh fans, a definite buy!
