LSD
Comic Book
GARAGE DAYS
RATING: C+
Starring
Kick Gurry, Maya Stange, Pia Miranda, Brett Stiller, Chris Sadrinna,
Andy Anderson, Marton Csokas, Yvette Duncan and Russell Dykstra.
Casting by Greg Apps, Music by David McCormack, Andrew Lancaster,
Antony Partos, Co-Producer Adrienne Read, Costume Designer Jackline
Sassine, Edited by Richard Learoyd, Production Designer Michael
Philips, Director of Photography Simon Duggan, Produced by Topher
Dow and Alex Proyas, Story by Alex Proyas & Dave Warner, Screenplay
by Dave Warner & Alex Proyas and Michael Udesky, Directed
by Alex Proyas.
Rated R, Running Time 105 mins.,
1.85 :1 Academy Standard Aspect Ratio.
 Alex
Proyas has been on my "to watch" list since he cranked
out "The Crow" and the sublime "Dark City"
a few years back. This former music video director has an interesting
visual eye- able to conjure up amazing imagery that stays with
you for days and is told within interesting stories. I've been
eagerly anticipating his future projects but it came to be that
I was a little disappointed in his latest feature "Garage
Days." I didn't expect something on the level of "Dark
City". I knew this film was probably just an experiment for
him, something to pass the time until his next big budget epic.
("I, Robot" with Will Smith is in production.) It has
the look of one of those quirky imports like "The Full Monty"
"Billy Elliot" or "Bend It Like Beckham"-
a cute and humorous film full of interesting characters and told
with an energetic visual style. We do get that energetic visual
style, but the interesting characters? That's another story.
Kick Gurry stars as the band
leader of a group of Sydney wannabees who have grown up half a
generation too late for punk and at the start of the DJ revolution.
Along with a tomboy bass player (Pia Miranda), pill popping drummer
(Chris Sadrinna) and incompetent manager (Russell Dykstra) they
hope to get the attention of a sex and drug addicted promoter
(Martin Csokas) and make it into the big time. Are they any good?
Well, that's the least of their problems. For starters their guitarist
(Brett Stiller) is cheating on his pregnant girlfriend (Maya Stange)
with a death obsessed goth chick (Yvette Duncan) while slowing
suffering a mental breakdown. They don't have any jobs or enough
money to record a demo and Gurry thinks Stange might be the girl
he's looking for.
 So
what's the problem? Well as talented and funny as this cast appears
to be, their characters aren't really interesting. They have no
potential, are obsessed with sex and death and pop too many pills
that would make the cast of "Trainspotting" proud. We
also never get to see them play as a band, but by the film's conclusion
we figure out in two seconds why. Gurry is pretty bland as band
leader Freddy and Miranda & Stange both display some appeal,
but the only standout is Stiller as unstable guitarist Joe. You
have to applaud a character who tries to cope with eminent fatherhood
by strapping a cantaloupe to his chest like a baby.
The appeal of the film is found
within Proyas' visual style, using all of the techniques created
since his last film, from bullet-time to macro zooms and everything
in between. This film is the flipside of an Archie comic, full
of weirdoes and the type of people you know you can't count on
as friends. They're not the druggies you'd encounter in the world
of "Trainspotting"-well, maybe if that film were turned
into a kid's cartoon. "Garage Days" wants to be the
type of flick that "Ghost World" was only not as subtle
and on high speed. It's reminiscent of R. Crumb and Harvey Pekar,
but will never be in their league. I know what Proyas was trying
to achieve and on some levels he succeeded. This film does have
some appeal and I like to think of it as a warm-up. This was an
appetizer, a bit tasty , but appetizing. Now let's get down to
business Alex!
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