Strange Bedfellows Review

by Andrew Staker (mallowisious AT hotmail DOT com)
April 23rd, 2004
Strange Bedfellows

There are only three things I found attractive about this gaysploitative venture from co-writer/director Dean Murphy: a national legal acceptance of same-sex relationships, a Travolta-like stride down Oxford Street in a glitzified Sydney and a purpose made photo of two guys in a porno website. The rest - and it feels like there's lots - hangs over like love-handles over happy pants.

Vince (Paul Hogan) and Ralph (Michael Caton) are two meat-pie and VB blokes from a picturesque town resembling an idyll to John Howard. When same-sex laws are officially enacted, Vince sees a way of evading a tax problem generated by his recently departed "bitch" wife.
And so Vince and Ralph "move in together, but only on paper" or so they'd like to think. The local biddy is soon at it, spreading rumour like wildfire, which is apt, considering they're both also firemen. The taxman is not convinced and so will arrive to audit the validity of their same-sex union. Panic. They must act and appear gay. They scamper in all sorts of directions to achieve a fitting illusion, even ending up in ever-glowing Sydney where they are befriended by some charming queer stereotypes—dykes on bikes… need I say more?

The fact that not one real gay character lives in Yackandandah is frustrating for Vince and Ralph. They have to take their tips on appearing gay from a camp hairdresser who is also pretending to be gay. Perhaps my annoyance arises from the fact I was expecting too much. This is a film about queers for non-queers, not a film by us for us. The film tries to explain away lofty ideas like acceptance and diversity in the clumsy guise of a rural Australian comedy. Quite frankly, if 2003 is anything to go by, our filmmakers should back away from this genre. I suspect like a fair few out there, I'll hold my breath and quietly await the next Priscilla.

Andrew Staker

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