Spudmonkey (2001) User Reviews

Great movie...huge achievement on a low budget

[jimireynolds1 · 8/10 · 27 June 2008]

I watched Spudmonkey at a film festival in Toronto, and it was great. The whole audience really got into it, and there were heaps of laughs. The acting was good, there was some really funny dialogue, and the music was cool.

I thought the story was really good too. Yeah, we've seen "buddy movies" before, but this was nothing like "Lethal Weapon". The dialogue was more natural... the characters of Alex and Jeff were just a couple of blokes you'd like to have around for a barbecue.

The other thing which really struck me was the look of the film. The director did a Q & A after the screening and said they made the whole thing for like $50,000. That's a quarter of the budget of the average 30second Coke commercial! Still, I guess El Mariachi was made for $7,000 so I suppose anything's possible!

I hope it comes out on DVD or something coz I'd like to see it again.

an awesome indie film that is definitely worth seeing

[cameron-h-mackay · 7/10 · 5 September 2008]

I've seen this film several times and it still makes me laugh - and i cant get melancholy baby out of my head - thanks spudmonkey!! Overall for a small Australian production it was a enjoyable film. The plot surrounding the band's rise to fame is interesting and definitely reflects how hard achieving dreams really is. I give it 9/10 - people should see this film for a good time to see the subway ad guy - Greg Powell, and the VB ad bloke Alastair Tomkins!!!! i enjoyed it, my brother did and some of my friends ... and so will you.

for those who want more I've found and joined the bands myspace site - check out myspace.com/spudmonkeytheband

SpudMonkey Movie

[iloveureo · 10/10 · 14 April 2008]

I watched this movie a few years ago when it was being tested. I couldn't stop laughing, the hit song "melancholy baby" was amazing.

It was just fascinating to watch an Aussie movie that was just as good as a Hollywood movie!

I don't think it was ever out at the movies, they might have shown it in Sydney or something, although it was all shot in Brisbane i think, cause all of the locations shot in the movie were with in Brisbane itself & i thought that was sweet! cause how often do you get a movie shot fully in BRISBANE ! Woohoo!

The drumming was WICKED I HAVE TO SAY, the guy's really Good!

Spudmonkey movie- plenty of humour

[caloeyxox · 9/10 · 28 October 2008]

I saw Spudmonkey recently and thought it was great! I love Australian films and this one is definitely added to the list. It is the type of laid back film that anyone would enjoy and got plenty of laughs out of me. Even the simplest detail like how Jeff's family is always sitting on the couch while he is trying to follow his dream is pure bliss when it comes to the comic aspect of the movie. I really liked all of the characters as they are all so different but fit together well and feed off each other so easily when it comes to the humour. It's amazing that such a decent film was made on such a low budget, very impressive. I recommend this film to anyone and everyone.

disastrous

[benedicthair · 1/10 · 3 January 2006]

I saw this film at a student theater and I was completely underwhelmed by it. The acting is terrible (were they actors?)and the only part of the production that didn't make me laugh was the jokes.

Spudmonkey? What type of a title is that? The story is lifted directly from 'Hollywood's cliché underdog story writing' manual, yet the writer/director still manages to destroy this basic formula.

All the characters are so hollow that it is hard to offer even an ounce of care factor, and the original music was horrible to listen to.

The $2 that was wasted on the making of this movie may have been better invested on a lotto ticket. I hope the director of this film (can you call it that?) is ashamed of himself.

Thoroughly enjoyable

[s-kinsale · 9/10 · 30 October 2008]

I was very surprised by this film, given it is incredibly low budget. I thought it was one of the most entertaining films I had seen in a long time. I found it quite funny as well as emotionally engaging. The script was far superior to many expensive Hollywood movies I have seen this year; there were some witty one-liners and it was consistently engaging. On the face of it, this is a movie targeting gen Y; it is about two friends who form a band and the roller coaster they experience when they "make it". However it seems to have crossover appeal to a much wider audience. The music is cool. I came with modest expectations but did not feel that any part lagged.