Clubland (2007)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Cherie Nowlan

Writers:

Brenda Blethyn (writer: additional stand-up comedy material)
Jo Brand (writer: additional stand-up comedy material)

Release Date:

3 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The only remedy for love is to love more

Plot:

The shy son of an aging comedienne tries to find a balance between his demanding home life, his new girlfriend, and his mother's second chance at fame.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Female Nudity | Blonde | Love | Bare Breasts

Awards:

2 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Brenda Blethyn	...	Jean
Rebecca Gibney	...	Lana
Khan Chittenden	...	Tim
Richard Wilson	...	Mark
Russell Dykstra	...	Shane
Emma Booth	...	Jill
Katie Wall	...	Kelly
Philip Quast	...	Ronnie Stubbs
Frankie J. Holden	...	John
Tracie Sammut	...	Tori
Justin Martin	...	Brett
David Webb	...	Colin
Susan Kennedy	...	Sharon
Paul Barry	...	The Nest Manager #1
Brendan Clearkin	...	The Nest Manager #2

Also Known As:

Club Land (Australia) (alternative spelling)
Introducing the Dwights (USA) (new title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Australia:MA | USA:R | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Finland:K-13 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Bankstown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Goalpost Pictures

Trivia:

Richard Wilson originally auditioned for the role of Tim.

Warmhearted Tear-fest

"Clubland" is a wonderful laugh-out-loud "dramedic" tearfest sporting an amazing tour de force performance by Brenda Blethyn who received a standing ovation at Sundance '07 for her remarkable portrayal of the aging mother desperately clinging to her handsome virginal son as he strives to build a romantic relationship of his own away from her controlling maternal influence. To reveal much more would be a disservice to this charming little film, but suffice to say that Blethyn turns in a performance that is transformative. She hits every note and takes the audience through every emotion in the human experience as we watch her arc from a cute upbeat "fun-mother" at the beginning to a mean, controlling, jealous, self-pitying witch - yet all the while, we love her dearly. This film continues the emerging tradition of strong Australian performances with solid acting from the entire cast. The "coming of age" element is likewise sweet and adeptly handled by the two gorgeous young stars. Brendan Clearkin gives a passionate and artfully understated performance as the alienated and powerless father who still chases his dreams of musical stardom. Finally, Richard Wilson issues yet another barn-busting standout supporting role, this time as the retarded brother who alone in the family has the intelligence to recognize the white elephant in the family room. Wilson is the comedic relief, the bittersweet soul, the character foil and the dramatic precipitant of the entire story; and he carries it off masterfully. Wilson is certainly destined to be a major star, and I cannot wait for him to appear in a leading role. Every character has a dream, and watching them strive towards it as reality comes crashing against them makes for one hundred ten minutes of warm and deeply moving entertainment.