Whether you actually want to admit it or not, there’s something admirable about a comedy that revels in the fact that it doesn’t play well with others. Audrey is very much that bitch.
It delights in being psychologically grotesque, and despite the fact that it features the type of teen mean girl embodiment that would’ve sat so comfortably next to the likes of Winona Ryder in Heathers or Rose McGowan in Jawbreaker – the titular Audrey (Josephine Blazier) – Lou Sanz‘s wicked script flips the expectation by setting the film from the perspective of her parents, who behave even worse in an odd showing of rebellion against the norms of society.
Audrey’s got an acidic tongue and a bad attitude, but it’s certainly not worthy of the punishment that ultimately befalls her when, in an act of defiance against her “momager” in waiting, falls from the roof of her house – up there to cry foul regarding her teen treatment – and winds up in a coma. It’s sad, yes, but it’s also entirely inconvenient for said “momager”, mother Ronnie (Jackie van Beek, an absolute firecracker), who’s trying to re-live her glory days as a Logie-winning soapstar by pushing Audrey into a variety of drama classes.
If that isn’t stressful enough, Ronnie’s other daughter, Nora (Hannah Diviney), feels like the family burden due to her cerebral palsy (which she can’t help) and snarky attitude (which she can), and father dearest, Cormac (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, a standout), is beyond sexually repressed – the film’s opening sees him in a, shall we say, compromising position – and turns to making Christian-themed pornography as a way to express his carnal desires; there’s also his blossoming friendship with the head of the ministry, the kindly Burke (Aaron Fa’aoso), to throw a spanner into the already messy works.
But back to Ronnie, because, obviously. Annoyed at how much money Audrey is wasting by laying comatose in the hospital, Ronnie takes it upon herself to make use of her own bucks, and maybe get the spotlight she believes she deserves, and pose as Audrey in said classes. At no point does Sanz’s script pretend that this is a believable idea, but the selfish universe within Natalie Bailey‘s ridiculous romp plays along, clearly having fun with the lunacy of the acting industry, as well as the self-importance of cause “supporters” who quickly befriend Nora under the guise of wanting to show their support for Audrey’s accident; nothing an interpretive dance won’t fix.
Whilst a little more time with Blazier’s Audrey could’ve helped us really understand the lengths of her bitchiness – a lot of the film is just us taking Ronnie and Cormac’s word on it – there’s so much lunacy on hand that we ultimately can forgive such. Especially with van Beek and Taylor committing so fully to their characters. It’s rare that we want to spend so much time with such nasty people – Burke is probably the closest thing the film has to a truly good character, even if he’s producing Christian porn – but such is the genius of Sanz’s script, allowing us to live out our own darkest thoughts through the selfishness on screen.
Rarely allowing itself moments of virtuousness to shine through (though it is alarmingly respectful regarding the disability and sexuality aspects of its story), as well as committing to one hell of an ending, means Audrey may not be the laugher for you if black comedy isn’t something that sits right with you. But for those that can stand the humorous heat, aside from a missed joke or two, Bailey’s dark venture is a refreshing slice of homegrown comedy that proves not all Australian productions have to submit to a dramatic mindset when it comes to on-screen tragedy.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Audrey is screening in Australian theatres from November 7th, 2024.
