The Merger (2018) Reviews

• A wonderful surprise packet

  sheepgrazing2019-01-25

  Well what an amazing little packet of joy this Aussie movie was. We had been waiting to see it for a little while, but were a little hesitant due to not being AFL fans or followers. There are lots of great laugh out loud moments with great Aussie humour....and sad to say that you don't realise how bigoted you actually are/have been with some things. Yes there are a few 'corny' moments, but hey, it's a comedy about footy for goodness sake......at least it's not like the idiot American toilet humour that they put on TV/cinema now days. The young child actor Rafferty Grierson does a superb job as Neil Barlow. There are even a couple of tearful moments in this one. I would give this little gem a 10....but hubby is a hard marker...so we compromised on a 9 Do yourself a favour and watch this one.

• Thoroughly enjoyed this film

  conantheaccountant2018-09-04

  This film is much in the same vane as The Dish, Kenny and the Castle. It speaks of the country with warmth and a light white Australian tongue. It shows the changes in the old Anglo-Australian country life with the introduction of refugees from a diverse list of countries. Essentially it is the standard sporting style of a ragtag bunch of no-hopers going on to form a great team. This is not a problem as it is a classic plotting structure. The quality it the warmth they give the characters. It is suitable to school age children though there is one scene with a old man's bare bum, for laughs and not titillation. Many laughs to be enjoyed. Beautifully shot in Wagga Wagga.

• Instant heartwarming Aussie classic. The Merger has it all.

  andrewbunney2018-09-04

  Set in a small country town in New South Wales, the zeitgeist is a familiar one to many Australians who live in declining rural areas. The timber mill has been closed, people are leaving and the footy club can't get enough players to keep fielding a team. Added to the mix are a range of newly arrived refugees. Many in the community see them as a responsibility and a resource but others are less welcoming. The title of the film refers to a plan to combine with another local footy team but the story told is of an alternative which is to teach the newcomers to play Aussie rules. The story is told mostly through the eyes of 10 year old Neil, a budding film maker who lost his Dad in a motorcycle accident. Young Neil decides to make a documentary about the local loner, Troy Carrington, who was once a footy star but whose conservationist tendencies have made him an outcast. It has to remind us of the way young Dale Kerrigan (Stephen Curry) told the story of his Dad's heroic attempts to save the family home from compulsory acquisition in The Castle. The Merger combines the fortunes of the footy team and the interaction of the locals with the newcomers with a romantic thread and a subtle exploration of grief for the loss of loved ones. It captures the regional background in a clever way as it shows different reactions to change. From the opening frames it looks fantastic. There are lots of wonderful characters too, in particular the young lad played by Rafferty Grierson and his mother played by the winning Kate Mulvany (a Patricia Arquette lookalike). The maestro here though is beloved stand-up comedian Damian Callinan who wrote the script and plays the central character, Troy. Callinan is now an undisputed Aussie legend. Like The Castle (Australia's #1 loved film), The Merger is quintessentially Australian with a heart-warming universal trajectory, cajoling the audience along on a steady stream of endearing, wry humour, definitely not coarse or broad but often laugh-out-loud. The soundtrack of stellar Australian musicians including rousing songs from Daddy Cool, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and more is a match for the other brilliant elements. The Merger is an instant Aussie classic that will do a power of good, not just for audience members but by gently prodding the national psyche of refugee averse Australia. There's many a touching moment, too with plenty of scope for a sob if you are so inclined. Andrew Bunney Three D radio Let's Go To The Pictures

• A surprisingly good film

  anddoug-131572018-09-01

  We have been fans of the Bodgy Creek podcast. The podcast is roll around funny. The film includes a lot of references to the podcast but goes deeper into a lot of real issues. And any film set around footy is a good watch. Damian Callanan has done a great job making such a movie on such a tight budget. A terrific cast with the backing of the Wagga community and a host of characters. Go see it! And where to I go canola bowling?

• Kicking goals with your heart

  mblakey332018-09-11

  At first it didn't have huge expectations about this movie. David Callinan was one of my favourite comedians growing (Loved Skithouse) so that was the main reason why I wanted to see this movie. As a person who loves Country Footy, this movie kicked a lot of goals close to my heart. From the killer local community nicknames like Porterhouse,Sheepy, Carpert Burn etc... to saving the club by recruiting refugees to their side.