bob_bear Six laughs, Six. I counted them. Not so good for a comedy lasting 90mins +, is it? The reviews I'd read for this movie on IMDb were overwhelmingly positive. It's why I bought it. Had never heard of it except that it was referenced as the inspiration for "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry" but better, it was claimed, and being a fan of Australian cinema... Well, I spent the first three quarters feeling vaguely uncomfortable but in the last quarter the film kind of redeemed itself - kind of. It is, as Paul Hogan points out in one of the many DVD Special Features, neither pro or anti same gender partnerships. It was an unnecessary comment for him to make - but meant, one assumes, to reassure conservative Australians. I'm glad I saw this clip after I watched the film. I was not impressed. It's not a bad film - its heart is sort of in the right place - but it just feels so old hat. A missed opportunity to do something both fun and progressive. A shame really.

Chris Peterson I like a good farce. It's a very simple formula, you wonder why so many films get it wrong. It starts with a small lie... and then a slightly bigger lie to cover the first one, and so on and so on. The secret is to make the underlying situation very serious. In this instance, the threat isn't being "outed" to the township, it's taxation fraud and the potential of being sent to jail that underpins the frantic farceurs.I watched the DVD of 'Strange Bedfellows' tonight with my partner and we both laughed like hyenas throughout. Even though most of the plot twists are obvious, half the pleasure comes from predicting what's going to happen next, and then seeing it actually happen as poor Vince and Ralph are plunged deeper into their charade. Michael Caton is brilliant, and Paul Hogan shines too, a few slightly wooden scenes notwithstanding. The rest of the cast allows anyone who's grown up with Aussie TV to play a quick game of "Ooh, isn't that...?"The tax law reform which sets the plot in motion is very improbable - now moreso than when the film was made just last year - but it's clearly just a mcguffin to get the plot rolling, and it's not worth slamming the film for it.Some people have been saying that the film is full of negative gay stereotypes; since the only part of the film with "real" gays (as opposed to Vince and Ralph's hilariously inept mincing) is set in Oxford St Sydney on a Friday(?) night, it's hardly surprising everyone's all frocked up for a night out. The important lesson here is that once Vince and Ralph sit and talk with them and get to know them, the gay guys are just, well, guys. Which is pretty much the moral of the story. Strip away the glitter and the glam, forget about who does what to whom in the bedroom - if you just stop and look, people are all just people.I loved this - it's the Australian 'In And Out'. More like this, please.

dcs84 I couldn't believe what I was reading about this film and decided that I would have to set the record straight somewhat, or at the very least add a little bit of balance to the comments index. "Strange Bedfellows" is symptomatic of what is currently ailing the Australian film industry at the moment. It is a small film (has the feel of a film school assignment), with underdone production values, and a severely undercooked script. It's a raw, still bloody and pulpy, carrion of a script. The writer, excuse me, writers of this 'piece' would have done well to hire a professional to completely overhaul their basic concept paying special attention to the dialogue, as well as ramping up the joke to minute ratio (which was dire).The film is a throwback to the 1950's, I have no problem with the use of stereotypes, but those pressed into service for this film were retired elsewhere on this planet approximately 40 years ago. I suppose the film was about two elderly gents who were masquerading as homosexual lovers so their innocence could, potentially have been genuine. But the stereotypes 'dug up' for this film lacked any form of comedic, or creative interest. The lack of a creditable script and the uninspired use of stereotypes aside, this film could have been worthwhile had it been ripsnortingly funny, but alas, it was found lacking it that department also.I have heard it before about a lot of Australian film and television product relating to the comedy genre. It is said by those in the industry that almost all Australian film and television comedies have one thing in common, "they're just not funny". "Strange Bedfellows" falls into that category, it just isn't funny.....enough. There are, admittedly a couple of funny happenings (the opening sequence when the mailman spins around and throws the mail sack at a newsagents was mildly amusing). It was not a complete train wreck of an exercise (although it was pretty close), unlike a couple of other people, I actually thought Paul Hogan was one of the few protagonists who looked comfortable in his role. Glynn Nicholas, is also quite good as the towns hairdresser, in fact, as much as he could, I thought he stole the film.As a long suffering Australian, please, in 2005 could we perhaps, instead of making five half-baked, insipid, quirky sleepers, could we pool the funds and make one decent tear-you-from-your-seat blockbuster.

australian_skeptics Set in the heart of country Australia, with a short journey to Sydney in the middle of the film, Strange Bedfellows tells the story of two close friends, Vince (Hogan) and Ralph (Caton) who cook up a plan to take advantage of a new law that gives tax breaks to Same Sex Couples. Trouble is, Vince and Ralph are as totally straight and must 'camp it up' it order to convince the government's tax inspector (Postlethwaite).The laughs come thick and fast as Vince and Ralph, do what it takes to learn how to appear gay. The reaction of the locals and the great scenes set in a Sydney gay disco are only some of what makes this movie a winner. However the jokes, even the outrageous ones, are never at the expense of the gay community.This is the funniest movie Paul Hogan has starred in since the original 'Crocodile' Dundee. He and Caton are a wonderful double act, supported beautifully by the rest of the cast, including a manic band leader in the final scenes, set against the back drop of some of Australia's most picturesque countryside. The ending works very well with all the loose ends, twists and all, being tied up.Paul Hogan was a TV star in Australia long before the world met 'Crocodile' Dundee. Michael Caton is also well known to Australian TV viewers with memorable parts on many shows, from soap operas to comedy.