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Writer's pictureAlex First

Audrey (MA) - 96 minutes

Imbued with a larrikin, pitch black sense of humour, I didn’t quite know what hit me when I started watching Audrey.

 

It is a ribald and risqué movie that finds inspiration from the likes of Muriel’s Wedding (1994) and Secretary (2002).

 

The latter was a dark comedy starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

 

There is a lot of the absurd about Audrey too.

Ronnie Lipsick (Jackie van Beek), then known as Ronnie Willis, won the Logie as Most Popular Actress in 2004.


That was the high point of her career.

 

There was no doubting her ambition, although a big question mark hangs over her talent.

 

Now married to tradesman husband Cormack (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor), their marriage appears to be on life support.

 

Today, Ronnie channels most of her energy into propelling her eldest daughter, 17 year and nine-month-old Audrey (Josephine Blazier), into acting.

Ronnie is one heck of a pushy parent, while, for her part, Audrey acts up and rebels.

 

Playing second fiddle to Audrey is her younger sister Nora (Hannah Diviney), who has cerebral palsy.

 

Audrey and Nora constantly clash, with Audrey turning on the histrionics.

 

But in seeking attention, an accident suddenly sees Audrey fighting for life in hospital.

 

Lo and behold, the family dynamic takes a turn for the better.

 

Ronnie steps into Audrey’s shoes.

 

Cormack reawakens his lost mojo with a job producing Christian-themed porn.

Nora revels in the attention she receives, not least from Audrey’s self-serving, drug taking boyfriend, Max (Fraser Anderson).

 

In short, they all exploit Audrey’s misfortune.

 

What follows is somewhat of a Greek tragedy.

 

So, what does and should one make of all of this?

 

I suppose it depends upon your sense of humour.

 

Audrey, the film, is both shocking and compelling.

It is deliberately overacted. That is evident from the get go, especially in the performances of Jackie van Beek and Josephine Blazier.

 

They manage to exploit the virtue of bad acting, which has you scrambling for the exit.

 

But before you do, the film reels you back in.

 

There is so much about it that is decidedly uncomfortable, awkward and bizarre that I was intrigued.

 

Writer Lou Sanz and director Natalie Bailey, both of whom make their feature film debut, continue to push the boundaries.

The surprises keep on coming and against my better judgment I ended up appreciating the obtuse nature of Audrey.

 

Make no mistake, this is one twisted, sharp comedy that will appeal to some and appal others.

 

Rated MA, it scores a 7 out of 10.

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