Once upon a time England specialized in whimsical little comedies about lovable eccentrics (recall the Ealing pictures from the 1950s), but now Australia has taken up the mantle. In this frail farce, the title character, played by rumpled Rhys Ifans, is a sad-sack Sydney construction worker who's accidentally transported to an isolated rural town (after foolishly attaching a bunch of helium-filled balloons to his lawn chair), where he finds acceptance and understanding, as well as genuine romance with a local lass. But eventually, thanks to the orgy of media coverage surrounding his disappearance, Danny's gold-digging girlfriend tracks him down, aided by an ambitious TV reporter she's taken up with after Danny went missing. A Frank Capra-esque atmosphere informs Danny Deckchair, reaching its apex during a community meeting scene late in the film, when Danny delivers a paean to the common man that earns him a predictable ovation from the assembled citizenry. But while the movie is good-natured and anxious to please, unfortunately it's also as bedraggled, lightweight, and clueless as its hapless hero. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer-director Jeff Balsmeyer and star Rhys Ifans, the 19-minute “Taking Off” making-of featurette, and a trailer gallery. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a lightweight comedy.] (F. Swietek)
Danny Deckchair
Lions Gate, 100 min., PG-13, VHS: $44.98, DVD: $26.98, Dec. 21 Volume 19, Issue 6
Danny Deckchair
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