VividSimon Simply Perfect

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

grantss The Night we called it a Day is the kind of movie that crops up every now and again to embarrass the Australian film industry. In between making superb movies like Animal Kingdom and Snowtown, crap like this comes along. Masquerading as a comedy (game is up pretty quickly, as it's not funny), this is really just a platform for celebrity bashing, especially American celebrity-bashing. The typical, shameful tall poppy nonsense that occurs in Australia, mainly thanks to its lower- than-gutter media. Add in a pro-union stance, and the movie is basically just propaganda.Incredibly one-dimensional: the Australians are all lovable larrikins, the Americans (incl Sinatra) are all heartless high-and- mighty boofheads. Wonder how this movie went down in the US, or among Frank Sinatra fans (and I'm not one, by the way)?Dialogue is shockingly bad - almost every line is cringeworthy. Acting is equally pathetic. Joel Edgerton is lucky his career survived this. Dennis Hopper and Melanie Griffith must have REALLY needed the money.The only positive thing about the movie is the performance of Rose Byrne. She rose above the woeful plot and direction and delivered the only convincing performance of the movie.

jonpuck This is loosely based on events that occurred during Frank Sinatra's tour of Australia where, after referring to a female reporter as a "two-bit hooker" he was black-banned by the local unions.Sadly, what could have been an interesting look at a clash of cultures, values and strong-willed individuals descends into something resembling a comedy sketch put on by a country repertory company.Dennis Hopper does a stirling job as Sinatra, with very little directorial support. After a while you start to believe he is Ol' Blue Eyes. But virtually all the other characters are painted in the broad brush strokes of low farce. Joel Edgerton plays the hapless promoter as a dim-witted surfer with a tendency to fall over or get beaten up in every second scene. Portia de Rossi is so loathsome in her role as the maligned journalist that I found myself cheering for Sinatra and the mob for most of the movie.And, in a masterstroke of bizarre casting and makeup, David Field blithely appears on screen looking about as much like Bob Hawke as my mum. Moreover, he seems to have made a conscious decision not to even attempt Hawke's accent, nor any of his well known mannerisms. The overall effect is as if the producers had decided to cast Dame Edna Everage in the role and hope that no-one would notice.Almost every Australian character in the film comes across as either a bumbling half-wit or a self-serving thug. I'm surprised Tourism Australia didn't try to have it banned. The sole exception is the delightful Rose Byrne who, as the love interest/voice of sanity, seems to have been beamed in from a parallel universe.Lamenting the state of the Australian film industry is a national pastime. I think much of it stems from the industry's long love affair with 'daggyness' for its own sake. Who finds this quirky and endearing any more? It's just embarrassing, and the rest of the world obviously thinks so too. This film, with its woeful dialogue, wooden 'school play level' direction, zero character motivation and absurd plot, admirably demonstrates the problem.

UncleBobMartin That song line from "all the way" is emblematic of The Night We Called It A Day, which starts out as a gritty piece of history, but ultimately becomes a testament to the joys of total romantic commitment.For much of The Night We Called It A Day, I thought I had the movie completely pegged: Frank Sinatra, representing US Cultural Imperialism, running roughshod over the Australian locals. I'm not thin-skinned, and not uncritical of the US myself, so I thought, okay...that along with the voyeur's pleasure of seeing the crude reality of Sinatra's private life portrayed on screen is sufficient for 90 minutes entertainment. But what starts out seeming like a poison pen letter turns out to be more of a Valentine, and the switch from one to the other makes the conclusion especially satisfying and exhilarating. The filmmakers play fast and loose with the facts toward the end, but the result is worth the artistic license.I doubt anyone could play Sinatra and come out on top; in his own films Sinatra had a singular presence that could never be duplicated by any mere actor. Hopper isn't mimicking, however, he is acting, and he does a good job of conveying the essence of his character. I imagine the most difficult part of the role was bringing the audience along in those scenes where Sinatra, without dropping his tough guy act, reveals a tiny glimpse of the sweeter inner man. I bought it.Maybe I was just in a receptive mood, but I immensely enjoyed it.

richard-mason This film commits the cardinal sin of not knowing what it is, or what it's about, and consequently ending up being about nothing. Certainly nothing anyone cares about.It certainly adds nothing to the infamous 1974 incident during Frank Sinatra's Sydney visit. It pretty well retells what happened then, while adding some not very interesting fictional characters, involved in a completely conventional and by-the-numbers "romantic comedy" plot.Dennis Hopper, one of the most charismatic film actors alive, plays Frank Sinatra, one of the most charismatic singer/actors ever, and make both of them dull. There are a few sparks of fire, but his wooden impersonation of Sinatra singing is like watching a rather stiff marionette. One is left wondering why Hopper and Melanie Griffiths bothered. Are they that desperate for money? Or did they really, really, really want a free trip down under?Joel Edgerton and Rose Byrne are their usual competent selves in the sub (or is it main?) plot, but it's SO conventional and predictable, one also wonders why they bothered.As for David Field as Bob Hawke ... while it's certainly arguable that Hawke is/was a buffoon in many ways, he has never been the boorish clown depicted here.The script is the villain. It's an idea --- and not a very strong one -- which has been developed into .... what? Certainly nothing Australian audiences want to see, as evidenced by the box office returns.The only person to come out of this completely triumphantly is Tom Burlinson, who supplies the Sinatra vocals. If you didn't know it was him, you would swear you were listening to the Chairman of the Board himself, and on a day when he was in fine voice.5 out of 10, and I think I'm being generous.