Not Suitable For Children is yet another step in the right direction for Australian film, proving that we can make funny, heartwarming, romantic comedies that are just as good as those Hollywood makes – and in many cases better.
Ryan Kwanten plays Jonah, a twenty-something who likes to party hard, lead a somewhat promiscuous lifestyle and be responsible for as little as humanly possible –that is, until he discovers he has testicular cancer and that surgery will render him infertile. His housemates (played by Sarah Snook and Ryan Corr) try to help him through this trying time, while also trying to convince him not to impregnate one of his many ex-girlfriends in a rash and rushed attempt to have children.
The Sydney scenery shows that our big cities can be just as cinematically appealing as the bright lights of New York, with shots of graffitied back streets and the iconic Sydney skyline adding character without feeling too forced. While Not Suitable for Children is a little directionless at times, as if unsure of what the ending will actually be as it meanders towards its conclusion, it’s still cheering and uplifting enough to feel gratifying at the end. It’s also not so lewd as to actually be not suitable for children. This is the kind of vulgar, rough-around-the-edges rom-com that has made Judd Apatow’s career – and may just make the careers of its lesser-known stars too.
