Crackers

First time writer director David Swann has created a comical, sometimes perverse comment on what Christmas can be, and probably has been at times for many of us Aussies. There's a bit of the feel of The Castle in Crackers.

A 12 year old boy is mourning the accidental death of his father when he's taken by his Mum and her new man to his grandparent's house for Christmas in suburban coastal Melbourne.

There he has to deal with an autocratic, drug hating, insect loathing grandfather, a loving smothering grandma, a mad and bad Aunty, an obnoxious, bullying potential half brother, a drunken great grandfather, a struggling Mum, a drug loving potential new Dad, a rooster and a dog.

Of them all he's most comfortable with the dog, who hates nearly everyone else.

The Christmas dinner is ruined of course. The rooster and the dog have a lot to do with that. There are a heap of conflicts, nearly all of which are treated as the absurd farces these blues usually are, and underlying it all is the pathos which always underlie family conflicts. There's plenty to recognise about our own lives and families (mine anyway) in Crackers.

The boy, played by Daniel Kellie is utterly charming and a bit odd looking; a normal kid well removed from the "beautiful" people usually cast into such roles. The grandfather is played with great verve by British veteran Warren (Alf Garnet) Mitchell.

Crackers is sometimes hilarious and also genuinely moving in a thoughtful sort of way. Physical comedy can sometime try too hard and Crackers can certainly be accused of this but still, Crackers is a big, satisfying biscuit barrel.