Da Kath And Kim Code - Film Review Friday
Keeping true to the commitment to watching Australian movies that I mentioned in my last review, one of my most recent watches was Da Kath & Kim Code, the 2005 telemovie adaptation of the cult classic Australian TV show Kath & Kim.
If you’re at all familiar with Kath & Kim, you’ll know it’s the story of a dysfunctional mother (Kath, played by Jane Turner) and daughter (Kim, played by Gina Riley), and the everyday trials and tribulations they face living in their fictional middle-class Melbourne suburb, Fountain Lakes. It satirises ‘bogan’ Australians, offering a sharp and often very amusing insight into the most mundane – and for it, marvellous – existences. Although the movie continues this premise, you needn’t feel pressured to watch the show before the film; neither is exactly a program that demands copious brainpower. In fact, you might even be better off watching the film first, as at under ninety minutes it’s a good sight shorter than the four-season TV show, and you’ll be able to decide quickly enough whether it’s a series you want to spend your time on or not.
By this, I of course mean that the movie really is very similar to the show. In essentially all respects, it might as well be a feature-length episode. It features all the usual characters, including Kim’s on-and-off husband Brett, Kath’s husband Kel, Kim’s second-best friend, Sharon Strezlecki, and even uppity shop assistants Trude and Prue. There’s little overarching story to the film; instead, it’s a series of interconnected b-plots that range from Brett’s affair with his manager at work, to Sharon’s attempt at finding love on the internet, and – much to Kel’s chagrin – Kath’s burgeoning infatuation with guest star Michael Buble. It also takes place at Christmastime, and the Australianisation of popular Christmas tropes – have you ever left out Bailey's and TimTams for Santa? – is a refreshing take on the genre of Christmas films.
Supposedly, Da Kath & Kim Code takes place in the aftermath of Kath and Kel’s European holiday, which sees them stalked by a figure in a hooded robe who leaves them mysterious clues in imitation of the then-popular Da Vinci Code (the source for the film’s title) – but in actuality, the film is no more fundamentally about the Da Vinci Code than it is about any other of the various storylines that give it it’s momentum.
This, in my mind, is to the film’s credit. I’m always far more inclined toward media where less happens, as it’s a sure-fire way to introduce more depth into subjects, and as much as the series can be said to have any kind of depth, this holds true for Da Kath & Kim Code. It unfolds almost like a reality show – the real housewives of Fountain Lakes, perhaps – and relishes in the mundane in the most overdramatic manner. We get the chance to indulge in some truly oustanding dialogue, and learn more about the characters and their lives. Kath in particular takes centre stage in the film, and Turner does a commendable job making the high-functioning airhead a compelling and even likeable character. Although I struggle to say the same of Gina Riley as Kim, I have a suspicion that this is more because my dislike of the immature, self-important and often hostile Kim is so great I’ve simply blocked most of her scenes from my memory. Indeed, that she can be so despicable yet undeniably absorbing a character is probably a strong indication that Riley knows well what she’s doing, and she certainly embodies the role convincingly.
Of the secondary performances, the others are as effective as ever, returning to their TV show roles with ease and charisma; guest appearances from Barry Humphries and The Wiggles make it all the more delightful a watch. The standout actor, though, has to be Magda Szubanski as Sharon. She’s genuinely hilarious, but her hapless eagerness also draws our sympathy as much as our laughter, and I, at least, can’t help wishing for more for Sharon than she ever seems to get, especially from the hyper-critical Kim, who sees her second-best (only) friend as an easy target for insults and exploitation. Admittedly, this film does give Sharon a rare chance at reversing the power dynamics, and gaining leverage over Kim. Although I don't recall this ever occurring in the TV show, it’s a delightful surprise in the film, and the scene is certainly a highlight of Szubanski's performance.
Having said this, I do admit I wasn't the biggest fan of Da Kath & Kim Code. However, I wonder if this was because I’m just the wrong audience for Kath & Kim’s particular brand of humour – too sensitive, perhaps, or too slow-witted, if I’m going to take such umbridge at a TV character. I recognise that the humour lies precisely in the characters’ imperfect ordinariness, and I suppose there is something charming in the film, even if it’s not exactly one that I’ll be watching again anytime soon. It’s quotable, certainly, and it’s undeniably an icon of Australian cinema, so I suppose rather than listing my grievances with it, the best thing I can do is leave you to watch it yourself, armed with this review. And one thing I can say for the film is I really don’t think you will have seen anything much like Da Kath & Kim Code before – I can feel that in my waters.
