IDIOT BOX

SYNOPSIS:
Tragi-comedy about two unemployed suburban youths who, bored and frustrated, lounge and fool around until they get the bright idea that their boredom would be alleviated with a little bank robbery.

Review by Andrew L. Urban:
Nothing that David Caesar has done (especially his feature film, Greenkeeping) will prepare you for this: billed as ‘action comedy’ about two young no-hoper guys bored titless, Idiot Box is actually a Tarantino-esque, but Australian as all getout, tragi-comedy in which David speaks his (until now stifled) cinematic language of choice. Bravura use of sound and music, camera angles that make-you-look-you-dirty-chook, lighting without fear, and a total belief in the script all help drive the film with energy and pathos in equal measure. For music, David went with You Am I, The Mark of Cain, Magic Dirt, Snout, Crow, etc. Showcased at Toronto’s film fest in the Discovery slot (August 1996), Idiot Box has what it takes to lurch its audiences on a wild joyride with a couple of bums who - despite themselves - endear themselves to us. We care for all the characters, and that’s thanks to David as well as his outstanding cast. But above all, a great script and the vision to realise it. Bullseye.

Review by Louise Keller:
At the cast & crew screening, director / writer David Caesar explained why viewers would not see "A Film by David Caesar" listed in the credits: "It was a collaborative effort," he said, and explained that at times, the actors came up with lines which he felt were better than his original script. It is not surprising therefore that the film comes together as a unified work. Ben Mendelsohn and Jeremy Sims, as the two bored rebels who venture down the wrong side of the tracks, produce outstanding performances. Ben Mendelsohn’s character always goes one step too far, while Jeremy Sims’s character is not quite so brash (or stupid). It is a loud and angry film with loads of humanity. The camera work is interesting, the story-line rewarding and the film really kicks along with the stand-out sound track.