Film No. 62 (2015) People, Places, Things. 31st August.

Film No. 62 (2015) August 31st.  6.30 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge. 

"No, life sucks because my wife left me for an off Broadway Monologist" (Will discusses his current state of mind with his college students).

 

Jermain Clement, a New Zealander by birth, has a huge following in the U.S. due to his underwhelming but zany portrayal as himself in Flight of the Conchords. In fact he is followed Worldwide but it's in the U.S. market that he is thriving. So it must have been a bit of a risk exploring a character faced with more serious domestic issues (divorce) in People, Places, Things. I'm thinking that even the title from a marketing POV might be a little risky.

I needn't have been concerned, PPT is a perfect fit for Clement. He  takes his brilliantly dry style of delivery into a tried and tested genre and offers a new dimension to the Romantic Comedy. I say new dimension because when it comes to films with themes supporting marriage breakdown with our hero seemingly blameless and kids in the mix, there are characters often shaped for us to hate; not in People, Places, Things. There is no one to dislike.

Jermaine Clement plays out a unique character using his original style in a film with a narrative which has no original appeal. Man catches wife out with another man, she wants a new life taking the kids with her. And so begins our journey with Will; a deep thinking new age bloke who works a teaching job to maintain his under paid passion as a comic book artist. Is Will's heart taken unexpectedly while he bemoans what he had?  Nothing new indeed. 

Hopefully my review is testing your patience with regard to my "you won't hate anyone in this film" observation. That's why the film is worth a look, especially if you are a devout fan of this genre. We are gently folded into the emotional revelations of each of the characters via witty and sometimes unexpected interplay. Therein  lies the charm of this film. People Places Things will please many even if the title may not attract the audience it should. 9GUMS.