WHO MADE IT? | Directors: Clayton Jacobson Cast: Shane Jacobson, Chris Davis, Alf Scerri, Travis Golland, Hayley Preusker, Saxon Fuller, Thomas Uerata, Glenn Preusker, Kevin "the Captain" Roy Ogston, Kevin Roy, Craig Carter, Pete Smith, Adrian Atkinson, Mark Robertson, Kevin "Matey" Lee Ogston. | WHAT'S IT ABOUT? | Kenny (Jacobson) is passionate about his job – supplying and maintaining portable toilets for major public events. Under his command are a bunch of crackpots who are only slightly less enthused by their jobs as “plumbers.” Kenny’s rather put out when his bosses decide to take him away from the comfort of his water closets and send him to a toilet trade fair in the United States. He rises to the occasion, wooing some Japanese businessmen with his own design for a futuristic cubicle, securing a huge deal for his company. But whether it’s his naivety – or his manners – the trip’s success in terms of business isn’t matched by its success in terms of pleasure. | WHAT'S IT LIKE? | This first-person faux-documentary certainly gives a new meaning to the phrase “toilet humour.” It’s littered with delightful one-liners, bursting with irony but delivered with a straight bat – highlighting the equality in his profession, for example, Kenny proudly spits that “there’s no pecking order in poo.” That’s not entirely true, as it would’ve been all too easy to make a film about toilet contractors that had scenes reminiscent of Trainspotting’s faeces-flinging or American-Pie-style humour or fart gags, but to its credit, this film takes a more grown-up approach to its subject matter. But while it’s certainly enjoyable, for what it is, it just goes on too long. There wasn’t enough content in the film to justify its running time for what is really one extended gag. It needed more of a story – more conflict – more dramatic tension – like its predecessors in the genre, including Spinal Tap and The Office. This feels like it’s just the first act of a longer film, introducing the characters but not really giving them much to do. It certainly makes a change to see a film whose protagonist is overweight, “interesting” looking, bearded and with a speech impediment – and it’s a tribute to Shane Jacobson’s strong and sympathetic performance that the film works at all. It’s fun, but a little inconsequential – enjoyable, but ultimately – and regrettably – rather unsatisfying. It leaves you wanting more, but not in a good way. | opens nationwide 28th September 2007
