From the opening scene – Director, Writer and Star Matilda Brown is found accidentally peeing on her hand while she performs a pregnancy test; the unwitting father sitting by her side, complete in clown make up – it’s clear that Let’s Talk About is going to be far from your typical or predictable pregnancy tale. Balancing heart and reality with humour and a bit of cinematic licence for the absurd, Let’s Talk About tackles familiar territory in such a way that makes it a unique and wholly enjoyable trip down a well trodden path.
The concept here is simple – Claire (Brown) finds herself with a baby on the way courtesy of her new boyfriend, a professional clown (Ben, played by Offspring‘s Richard Davies). Over the space of ten short films, which are now screening on demand exclusively through Australian streaming service Presto, Brown and her clown go through all the all the stages of acceptance, with more than a few mishaps along the way.
The awkward sex scene – “am I going to hurt the baby?” – the confusion, the first meeting of the parents (with what has to be the best scenes in the series, delivered between Ben and Brown’s real father Bryan Brown)… you’ve seen before, but Brown and Davies deliver it well, and the cameos only add to the enjoyment; not to mention a fantastic script.
The music by Lime Cordiale’s Oliver Leimbach is solid – I particularly liked the more “funky” number that was used throughout – but for the most part, things are kept simple. There’s no attempt here to be anything it’s not – it’s an exercise in taking a simple story, and telling it well. And with that Brown has achieved something truly special.
Superbly written, with great performances – some stellar cameos – and sound direction, Let’s Talk About doesn’t break new ground. But ir is as perfect as you’ll find any take on this well trodden path. Brown and her team have crafted an enjoyable, heartwarming and ultimately totally watchable series in Let’s Talk About. Whether you watch it in one go, or use the short episode structure to fill up your travel time across the work week, this is not to be missed.
Review Score: FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Let’s Talk About is streaming now exclusively on Presto Australia. For more details, and to get your hands on a free one month trial, head to http://www.presto.com.au/
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