Robin Ramsay Movies

In this Australian comedy, adapted by Louis Nowra from his own play and updated from a '70s to a '90s setting, a Sydney slacker gets the chance to stage an opera, but his cast is assembled from the ranks of the mentally ill. After a long stretch sponging off his law-student girlfriend Lucy (Rachel Griffiths), college dropout Lewis (Ben Mendelsohn) fakes his way into a job doing occupational therapy with a group of asylum inmates. Although his original assignment is to stage a variety show, manic-depressive patient Roy (Barry Otto) soon hijacks the project and convinces Lewis to helm an adaptation of his favorite opera, Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutti. Lewis' unlikely cast ranges from psycho firebug Doug (David Wenham) and scruffy loudmouth Sandra (Kerry Walker) to depressive, dirt-obsessed Ruth (Pamela Rabe) and self-effacing drug addict Julie (Toni Collette). Given the dearth of acting and singing experience among these players, Lewis opts to translate the piece from Italian to English and stage it as a play with only a few pieces of music. The show still proves to be more than its director bargained for -- despite the dubious assistance of his friend Nick (Aden Young), an actor/director who's currently staging his own over-the-top production of Diary of a Madman. Although Cosi reteams Muriel's Wedding co-stars Collette and Griffiths, their characters here never share a scene. The production also includes former Men at Work singer Colin Hay in a featured role, plus cameos from Greta Scacchi and Paul Mercurio (who appeared alongside Otto in Strictly Ballroom). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Hec Harris (Robin Ramsay) is a widowed tax-office clerk who wants to buy a computer to help devise an easy tax-form process in this comedy. He applies for a loan but is denied because he always pays in cash and has no credit on record. He borrows the money from the bank and immediately returns it, along with the interest, and gets a credit card. Hec soon runs up a bill of over $10,000 and pays it off by obtaining more credit cards. He soon is hopelessly swimming in debt, he loses his job, and his daughter Jo (Marion Chirgwin) is placed in a foster home. Although the feature is a comedy, there are serious moments in this story about a man living beyond his means. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Mike (Terry Serio) is an attractive, sexually appealing factory worker and Fox (Richard Moir) is his racing nemesis. Both are after the same woman, Julie (Debbie Conway), dueling it out on the road and in personal encounters. Julie and Mike (whom she favors) go to an odd blind man named Rebel to get some help in winning the races -- blind or not, he still seems to know the most about cars -- and maybe he will make the difference in the competition with Fox. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Dennis Hopper plays the title character in this true story of a 19th-century Australian gold-digger who is pressed into a life of crime. A six-year stint in jail doesn't provide reform, but does introduce him to an Aboriginal partner-in-crime (David Gulpilil). The duo then proceed to terrorize the province of New South Wales with no lack of violence. The TV version was retitled Mad Dog. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide