Movie Review

College love flounders down under

By Rick Alonzo, On-line Forty-Niner
April 4, 1997

"Love and Other Catastrophes" is a hilarious low-budget comedy that perfectly illustrates the daily struggles of typical college students.

This independently-made Australian comedy, scheduled for release Friday, portrays five students of AustraliaÕs Mel-bourne University who are caught up in romantic and bureaucratic struggles of college life.

The movie portrays universal struggles: Many students have stood in line for what seemed like hours only to be redirected into a different line.

It does not take long to adjust to the Australian accents of the five main characters: Michael, Ari, Mia, Alice and Danni. Although they attend Melbourne University, this film shows that college is college no matter where you are.

The opening scene of the movie shows Ari, played by Matthew Dyktynski, hard at work as a part-time male prostitute. However, Ari is not your typical male prostitute: He is philosophical. How often do you see a gigolo reading Shakespeare?

The main character in the film is Mia, played by Frances OÕConner, who, like most students, has been given the bureaucratic run-around by faculty. The movie depicts the classic wild-goose chase of looking for the right person to sign the right form. Add in a lesbian struggling in her relationship with her girlfriend, and you have Mia.

Michael, played by Matt Day, is shy, insecure, and a little naive. He wanders hilariously around the campus in search of decent roommates, a nice girlfriend, and a little self-confidence.

Many students will relate to Alice, played by Alice Garner, who is innocently looking for sweet love in all the wrong places.

Danni, played by Radha Mitchell, is Mia's lesbian partner. Danni suffers through a chaotic relationship with Mia. She dumps Mia and desperately tries to regain her love after she realizes her mistake.

Director Emma-Kate Croghan directed the film at age 23. Moreover, she is a former film-school student and relates well to college life. Younger audiences will identify with the actors because they are in their early 20s.

This film uses its' 79 minutes of running length efficiently. It is neither too long, nor too short. However, if you are offended by strong language, casual drug use, and sexual situations then avoid "Love and Other Catastrophes."