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Aussie, without question

TWO of the best Aussie films ever made, The Castle and The Dish, have come from the geniuses at Working Dog Productions.

Any Questions for Ben? (M) is their long overdue third film.

For the past 12 years they have dabbled in TV with Thank God You're Here, Frontline and The Panel.

Any Questions for Ben? finally brings them back to the big screen, with a contemporary rom-com about a young man's search for meaning in his seemingly perfect and commitment-free life.

Ben (Josh Lawson) is 27 and living the dream - he's wealthy, got a solid group of mates, frequently embarks on adventurous holidays, and appears to have a different girlfriend every week. So what's to question?

After attending a careers event at his old high school and failing to offer anything truly inspirational, a quarter-life crisis is triggered.

Ben begins re-evaluating what he wants out of life - which may just happen to be his high school crush, Alex ( Rachael Taylor).

We asked the film's writer-director Rob Stitch why this film and why now.

"We were determined to do something hyper-contemporary: this time we had no taste for nostalgia," he said.

Any Questions For Ben? is not as iconic or laconic as Working Dog's previous masterpieces.

However, to date it is the best example of the type of film this country should make all the time.

This is an extremely solid romantic comedy which Aussie audiences will be able to identify with.

All the side characters are pitch-perfect, particularly Lachy Hulme who plays a unique type of Aussie-wog.

Melbourne is shot beautifully and it celebrates the culture of Australian city life without becoming a commercial.

Finally: an Aussie film made for the masses and not just for the latte sippers in the leafy suburbs. Go and see it.

Rating: 4/5

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Flick Nicks
Film students Nicholas Ryan and Nicholas Mark pick the best of the films now showing.
Stars: Felicity Ward and Rachael Taylor star in the enjoyable latest offering from Working Dog productions, Any Questions for Ben?
Stars: Felicity Ward and Rachael Taylor star in the enjoyable latest offering from Working Dog productions, Any Questions for Ben?

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