KENNY
Kenny, (2007, Australia), dir Clayton Jacobson, starring Shane Jacobson
Kenny is a new comedy from Australia that seeks to break the Hollywood stranglehold and in so doing invoke a new angle on life. Filmed as a parody or pastiche (mockumentary is the term used by most reviewers), it follows Kenny on his daily routine, working as a portaloo installer for events and festivals in Melbourne. Things are relatively quiet but then the midsummer madness begins, events like The Melbourne Cup and the St Kilda Festival provide a backdrop to Kenny’s constant ruminations on life and shit, something that might be called toilet wisdom. But the film never goes for all out belly laughs, but is as likeable and gentle as Kenny himself.
The narrative drops half way through, as Kenny goes to an expo in Nashville, chats up an air hostess, makes a deal in Japan via a businessman he dubs the Sushi Cowboy. Other memorable characters in the film are Kenny’s workmates, his father, brother and son. Kenny is a focus for the drive of the film’s narrative, with most of the other (mostly male) characters in the film offering commentary or betraying motives or fears. Kenny’s father and brother are ashamed of his son’s profession, referring to him as a ‘glorified turd-burglar’. Its unclear what Kenny’s father means by this, or if he guesses that this derogatory colloquialism means homosexual. However Kenny is relaxed about what he does, tolerating his father’s outbursts, even though he often says what he means, not what he should say.
The film sets up some strong contrasts, between Kenny’s profession which ostensibly seems one proven to attract monkeys not men. But Kenny is a both a deep-thinker and ultra-civilised, philosophising about the history of poo, for instance, making comments about the ‘monkeys’ at the events he caters for. He takes his work seriously, seems to enjoy it. The behaviour of the other characters in the film is frequently disappointing, as summed up by the women urinating in a car park at the end of the film. Kenny is a modern day picaresque hero, observing the rottenness of everything, but somehow keeping his head above the stink and stench that surrounds him. The film-makers appear to have an understanding of cinematic language, in fact the film could even be classified as technically innovative, especially in its depictions of large-scale events.
In short, Kenny is a very unexpected hit. Wisdom peers through the film as it takes a behind glance look at humanity from the edge of the portacabin.
Paul Murphy, Odeon in Panton Street, London
Kenny is a new comedy from Australia that seeks to break the Hollywood stranglehold and in so doing invoke a new angle on life. Filmed as a parody or pastiche (mockumentary is the term used by most reviewers), it follows Kenny on his daily routine, working as a portaloo installer for events and festivals in Melbourne. Things are relatively quiet but then the midsummer madness begins, events like The Melbourne Cup and the St Kilda Festival provide a backdrop to Kenny’s constant ruminations on life and shit, something that might be called toilet wisdom. But the film never goes for all out belly laughs, but is as likeable and gentle as Kenny himself.
The narrative drops half way through, as Kenny goes to an expo in Nashville, chats up an air hostess, makes a deal in Japan via a businessman he dubs the Sushi Cowboy. Other memorable characters in the film are Kenny’s workmates, his father, brother and son. Kenny is a focus for the drive of the film’s narrative, with most of the other (mostly male) characters in the film offering commentary or betraying motives or fears. Kenny’s father and brother are ashamed of his son’s profession, referring to him as a ‘glorified turd-burglar’. Its unclear what Kenny’s father means by this, or if he guesses that this derogatory colloquialism means homosexual. However Kenny is relaxed about what he does, tolerating his father’s outbursts, even though he often says what he means, not what he should say.
The film sets up some strong contrasts, between Kenny’s profession which ostensibly seems one proven to attract monkeys not men. But Kenny is a both a deep-thinker and ultra-civilised, philosophising about the history of poo, for instance, making comments about the ‘monkeys’ at the events he caters for. He takes his work seriously, seems to enjoy it. The behaviour of the other characters in the film is frequently disappointing, as summed up by the women urinating in a car park at the end of the film. Kenny is a modern day picaresque hero, observing the rottenness of everything, but somehow keeping his head above the stink and stench that surrounds him. The film-makers appear to have an understanding of cinematic language, in fact the film could even be classified as technically innovative, especially in its depictions of large-scale events.
In short, Kenny is a very unexpected hit. Wisdom peers through the film as it takes a behind glance look at humanity from the edge of the portacabin.
Paul Murphy, Odeon in Panton Street, London
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