Kath & Kimderella (2012) User Reviews

not that great....

[j_bellus · 4/10 · 13 September 2012]

First, as others have done, let me 'disclaimer' this by saying I am a MASSIVE fan of the series, and I think anyone who isn't was always going to be disappointed by this so shouldn't have bothered! Half my late-teen years were spent pretty much reciting the jokes of each season, as they were subsequently released, between my friends who loved it just as much. That made the whole situation of viewing, and reviewing, this movie very hard.

I was really disappointed in this film - not in a way where I had built up massive expectations, but in the way that it just simply wasn't good. At all. You can tell these girls still have some amazing wit and humour, as there are some definite funny moments, but for the most part you just wonder who actually looked at the script, or the final cut, and thought it was a good idea. I spent half the film cringing, especially as I was sitting next to a friend who wasn't 'sold' on the series and could feel him just thinking...WTF.

-The storyline is just a bit weird - the characters lose a bit of their cuteness/overall kitch-ness when they're removed from the incredible suburban plainness which is Fountain Lakes. Though I understand that TV->film adaptations often need to move to grandiose settings to avoid being labelled as an extended episode, the storyline was just unbelievable and weird (take the show to Europe, sure, but made up cities, a royal family, dungeon-come-gay disco...come on).

-The Sharon gay jokes....the first time is funny but by the end (going to the dress up party as, quote, "a friend of Dorothy's...you know, the Lion from Wizard of Oz") it becomes an insult. The show used to do subtle humour incredibly...maybe not anymore.

-The Dame Edna cameo. Enough said.

-In general, the jokes haven't evolved since season 1. Yes that has always been the case, but when watching the movie for 2 hours (and seeing extended cameos from characters who were previously small players, like Marion or Prue and Trude) it becomes painfully obvious.

All in all, there were some funny bits for sure, and if you're a fan of the series you might like. But in general, this was a mess, and if you're a MASSIVE fan of the series,you may be let down :(

Disappointing even for Kath and Kim

[joshua-303-92778 · 4/10 · 25 June 2013]

What a disappointment. I lived in Australia for several years, and while I'm not a big K&K fan, I had somewhat higher expectations for this movie.

Literally everything is clichéd. The plot is contrived and predictable, and essentially resembles every other mediocre comedy. The actresses are one dimensional, and while perhaps amusing in 30 minute chunks, are just plain tiresome over 90 minutes.

I just do not understand why they opted for such a tired storyline and predictable gimmickry. Is it just beyond our power to make an original film these days? This movie is formulaic junk food, and unfortunately adds to the common perception that Australian movies are terrible.

Kath and Kim, it's time to retire.

[CabbageCustard · 4/10 · 5 April 2019]

There is a reason that John Cleese et al only made 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers, one of the most beloved of comedy shows. It ensured that Basil Fawlty, Manuel and co would never out stay their welcome, become predictable and, worst of all, boring! It left the fans begging for more. A lot of lesser comedy shows have not followed that same philosophy and they are all the poorer for it. Sadly, Kath and Kim are part of that latter group. The first two seasons of the adventures of the foxy ladies from Fountain Lakes were brilliant, cutting edge satirical humour. The third season got by on the strength of the good will built up in the first two. The fourth season was really starting to take the joke too far and the time was well and truly right (actually, it was PAST time) for the ladies to retire. Sadly, the time behind the show tried to squeeze one last dribble of lucre out of the franchise and so we were presented with this sad excuse for a sparkling comedy. There is nothing sparkling about it. It is just a rehash of everything we've seen before with a smattering of unfunny and unlikely plot elements thrown in to try and spice things up. Sadly, it all just seems to be a bit desperate. I have a feeling that the Australian public still have a great day of affection for Kath and Kim. Any more outings like this however, and that good will well and truly dry up. Retire dear ladies, retire. You deserve it. You have nothing else to prove. If you, like me, have fond memories of Kath, Kim, Sharon, Kel and Brett then do yourself a favour and give this flick a miss.

It's different, unusual...but not noice

[TheRowdyMan · 2/10 · 27 April 2019]

The big screen debut of the popular Australian TV comedy about the lives of the titular mother and daughter. While the TV series is a clever documentary style, satire of Australian lower-middle class suburban life, Kath & Kimderella abandons this is a straight fantasy, rom-com adventure with the pair traveling to the fictional micronation of Papilloma.

Released 7 years after the show was cancelled, the show still had a strong following via reruns, so a film adaptation still made sense in 2012. And like most TV movies, Kath & Kimderella faced the dilemma: do you make a 2 hour episode or place these characters in a new situation? Kath & Kimderella chose the latter.

But here's the thing - on the TV show, Kath and Kim were extraordinary characters in a very ordinary situation. That's what worked. They were over-the-top caricatures of Aussie outer-suburbanites in situations that most of us could relate too. Kath & Kimderella makes the fatal error that a lot of board TV comedies do when they go to the big screen and put their extraordinary characters in extraordinary situations - meaning the audience has nothing to connect to.

Australian comedy legends Turner, Riley and Szubanski fail to transport the original show's charm and humour to this big screen fantasy rom-com. The jokes don't land, the script is lazy, the film is too cheap looking justify its location and fairy tale theme and the overall end result is a boring, weak and unfunny pantomime that's an endurance test to sit through and a sad end to a great show.

Ridiculous

[BABSBunny24 · 7/10 · 17 May 2019]

I've got one word to say to you- ridiculous! And I loved every minute of it. The twist at the end was really great I thought. You probably do have to watch the tv series first to appreciate it, though.

T.V. Show Excellent - Movie BAD

[traceypryan · 2/10 · 11 September 2012]

I loved the T.V. show when it was on ABC - I think it lost something when it went commercial - but hey i still loved it.

I just want to say i will NEVER get the 1 1/2 hours back that i spent watching this movie.

It was bad. Too much Trude and Prude and not enough new joke material. The actors in this movie are all extremely intelligent actors but something was missing.

I think they tried too hard and should have just gone back to the original concept. I am sure they could have done something with Eponey Rae and the shopping centre maybe some toddlers and tiaras story line.

"I am high maintenance, but I think you gotta be."

[gloryofthe80s · 6/10 · 17 February 2022]

Having just watched this film for the first time (years after first seeing the show in 2007), I wondered if they - those lovely, funny, clever ladies Jane and Gina (& co.) - were in fact just having a good old belly laugh on film at the other once great TV shows that have gone to pot, I mean, to film (not naming any names...S&TC anyone? Oft, yooou'rrre dreadful Trude!).

The film wasn't greash, but it had its moments. The sign language guy was hilarious! I'd liked to have seen more of the main cast's hilarious dancing throughout, and at the end less 'fast cutting', I think it's called, as I couldn't focus on the scene as a whole - probably the idea to an extent, to show how crazy the party was!

It was a nostalgic pantomime outing for the fans and wasn't meant to win any new ones. I think J & G knew their audience. There were plenty of beautiful scenes, crazy outfits, and cameos, either by recurring characters or the actors who played them. Prue and Trude were funny, and for the last few days I can't help but talk like them - annoying my husband! The return of Marion was welcomed. I always loved Marg's performances and if I met her, I'd beg her to do some ASMR videos, as she sends me to sleep so easily with her soothing voice! Sharon as always is so funny and a central character, but I didn't think she got enough lines, and neither did Kel or Brett, both of whom didn't get enough screen time either. The fear of flying storyline was a bit off for Kel's character, as was the Sharon storyline. Where was lovely Wayne?? (I got the jokes, but admitting what we all know about the actress as opposed to the character felt a bit lazy. Sharon was man daft remember.) REG was ok, and the Prince guy was nice to look at. Kel's behind...was not. :-) Awww, that's being unfair, to be fair!

Ending wise, I think it would have been much funnier if it turned out that the story had been a dream which ended when Kath's wart went away, putting them right back in Fountain Lakes having a whine time! Maybe that was on the table but it was decided against. I'm sure the writers thought of that scenario (it's probably a common idea - suppose Dallas took that crown though) as they are top notch in my opinion, always adding the blink-and-you'll-miss-it detail or the in-joke, the extended joke or joke within a joke. So much effort goes in, you get value for money 99% of the time (nointy-noine!)

I loved the show and I love the characters, therefore I liked the films/extended episodes too, but admittedly this one did leave me thinking, why? Maybe just because it's noice, it's different, it's unuuusual!

Terrible is putting it mildly

[ste-32548 · 1/10 · 19 September 2019]

So disappointed in this film! I absolutely love the tv series so I was excited to watch the film but it is just plain bad. The storyline is awful and so over the top that I was willing it to be over. I had enough after 15 minutes but I patiently stuck with it just incase it showed any signs of improvement. Unfortunately it didnt. Should have set it in fountain lakes and had a more down to earth storyline.

film length follow up to their tv series

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 16 June 2022]

The follow up film to their hilarious tv series, kim and kath go on a trip to italy. Everything goes wrong. But they have fun anyway. Some funny bits; in perfect karma, kim has raised a daughter as bitchy and selfish as herself. And their alter egos trude and prue are along as well! So the girls meet their princes and may or may not get hitched! Even sharon goes on a date. Special appearance by barry humphries as dame edna. The film doesn't quite live up to the original series, but its all in good fun. Directed by ted emery, who had directed a bunch of the series episodes.

Flogging a very dead horse.

[MoreThanAFan · 2/10 · 8 September 2012]

I loved the TV show in the early days.. It was original and hilarious. Over the years though, they just repeated the same old stuff over and over again.. and i always assumed that's why the show eventually went off the air - People were bored.

Unfortunately, it seems they didn't learn their lesson though. This movie is just 90 minutes of the same old jokes from the show 10 years ago, regurgitated in exactly the same way. Only difference is that this time it is set in Italy.

Prue & Trude, My all-time favorite characters from the show are nothing short of annoying in this movie. They are just scattered throughout the film for absolutely no reason and don't add a thing to the story.

I use the term "Story" lightly. This film really doesn't have one. It's just a stage to shove the same old characters, saying the same old lines.

Very very disappointing.

Hopefully the aging actors will finally realize that this horse has been flogged, and move onto new things.

The perfect complement to the TV series

[summerblink · 8/10 · 12 September 2012]

I felt the need to write a review after the 2-star review featured on the front page was written by someone who freely admitted to a) never having seen an Austrlian comedy film, and b) never watching the TV series.

The is the perfect companion piece to anyone who's been a fan of the girls since 'Big Girls Blouse', where Kath and Kim (and to a lesser extent Prue and Trude) first started.

These women have been living these characters for so long that the dialogue and performances are flawless - absolutely spot on, but not predictable.

The cinema I watched it with similarly had a great time - everyone was splitting their sides.

Ladies - if I were wearing a hat, I'd take it off and show you my bald spot.

To everyone who didn't find it amusing - there's so much of Australian culture you do understand. If you call yourself an Aussie, you should be ashamed.

A Monster..............Failure...........

[werefox08 · 1/10 · 29 October 2012]

Kath and Kim..the Australian sitcom..has been running in Australia for a few years now. The type of humor is affectionately called "bogan". Most of its huge audience are ..in fact, lovingly referred to as bogans. The reasons for making this into a movie are a mystery. What we have here is an abject failure. The script is simply ..terrible. The acting self conscious, and not a laugh in sight. The actual story is ridiculous..the whole cast appear not to believe in it either. (A special word for Frank Woodley..he is a funny man). How a world-wide audience is going to react to this garbage is easy to predict. Lets be kind...and say...they will leave early. (Wish i had)...15 minutes is enough. After that one may puke.

Not Grayshhhh

[malpasc-391-915380 · 2/10 · 5 March 2022]

To give it a Prue & Trude-ism this film isn't grayshhh.

The original 4 seasons of Kath & Kim as well as Da Kath & Kim Code special are all brilliant. Hilariously funny and give a comedic look inside the world of Australian suburbia. There almost isn't a single bad episode.

But by the woine toime season 4 had come the show had pretty much done everything it could without risking going stale or taking it all too far.

Unfortunately this 2012 outing is stale and does take the premise too far. I can see where the idea comes from, taking the foxymorons from Fountain Lakes and putting them in another country is an obvious but sounds good on paper culture clash comedy idea, but it just doesn't work. The fun of Kath & Kim was seeing them in their suburbia, living their suburban lives. Sticking them in Italy with a loose fairytale storyline doesn't work, and definitely did not work in this film.

The TV series was noyce, different, unewwsual. This film is none of those things.

Unnecessarily necessary!

[feelreallove-921-845971 · 10/10 · 24 March 2018]

This fillum is the 'clowning glory' of Kath n Kim! I understand what the negative reviews are saying, but they miss the point of Riley and Turner's self mocking 'joke within the joke'. Just as they joke about the joke going on so long it becomes banal in Season 4 of the show, the joke is on us for continuing to watch! Just for that, this is worth 10 stars!!

Worth going to see

[therese-475-583449 · 8/10 · 13 September 2012]

I must say, i was hesitant to see this movie, thinking the worst! But i was pleasantly surprised. I am not a huge fan of Australian comedy myself but i thought the acting was very good. Don't forget that Kath and Kim have been the portrayal of characters we all may of encountered in the good old days of the 80's. If you weren't around then, you wont get the humour!In reference to the "bike scene", I am pretty sure it was made to look like that on purpose, as it would of been badly done in the 80's, they were just sending it up! If you aren't Australian and you weren't old enough or born in the 80's and you aren't familiar with Kath and Kim already, then you wont get it!! Soundtrack was great!!

look at moi ploiz!

[rmam1 · 10/10 · 11 September 2012]

Loved the show & enjoyed the movie. I know they repeated a lot of the jokes but I do believe this was certainly a movie for the fans. I love to laugh & a lot of things make me laugh (apart from sh*t like two & half men and how I met your mother which are horrible) and feel this movie is simply good for nostalgic purposes. Also if you're not a fan of kath & kim then wtf are you doing writing a review on it? Morons...anyway, it was enjoyable and there were some jokes there that most ppl didn't seem to get (jane and gina can be clever that way) but I got them. I love these women and this movie hasn't changed that. It had it's odd moments but if you're a fan, and you love to laugh (at the same jokes over & over, similar to watching Little Britain) then you'll like this movie. If you're old, a stick in the mud or just plain dumb, you won't appreciate it enough to sit back & enjoy it for the nice, traditional Aussie "yoomah" that it is :)

Fun and expands the franchise

[l-speed · 8/10 · 18 February 2018]

Was interested to read the mixed reviews of this. As the movie takes the characters out of Australia for most of the narrative, perhaps it would disappoint some viewers who like the TV series because of the local settings and local reference points. I enjoy this movie because it includes a lot of references to a wider range of things, including fairy tales, kitsch European culture, royalty, the musical comedy convention of a finale that reveals secret ancestry, and European thrillers and road movies of the 1960s (perhaps even Girl on a Motorcycle but I'm not sure if the reference is intened to be that specific). It's like a fantasy romcom/comedy of remarriage with a lot of intertextual elements. Love the silly costumes. Whether you like this might depend on your receptiveness to the silly, but at the same time I think Kath, Kim and co. are fully entitled to go international. The idea that all Australian movies should be set mainly or wholly in Australia is too limiting.

Lighthearted and Fun

[tre1 · 9/10 · 28 May 2013]

Fabulous lighthearted funny movie! It's not serious, watch it for what it is. Has a number of "in" jokes. Great script writing! I think it's probably most suited to Australian audiences, though the beginning of the movie does get you up to speed. Features an enjoyable music score as well. And great scenery.

Jane, Gina, Magda, Peter and Glenn are just perfect - they have wonderful chemistry and are great talents.

Loved the TV series, loved this movie! Watched it on TV - but am seriously considering buying the DVD. It really was enjoyable and upbeat.

I loved it!

[JimmyCollins · 9/10 · 26 September 2012]

Anyone who is Australian and doesn't flat out love Kath and Kim is obviously crazy, I'm an avid fan of these two characters, from their early days on big girls blouse all the way to their prime-time series on 2 of Australia's leading channels, and after watching Kath and Kimderella it makes me love them even more. They're just so bloody charming, and really it is all meant to be a bit of fun and not to be taken seriously. I will say, when I saw the trailer I thought it looked kind of silly, but I was so surprised at just how good the "fillum" really was, we see all our favorites from the show in a bunch of hysterical situations. One thing I really appreciated was that the jokes all weren't recycled from the TV show, sometimes the show used to repeat itself, but I think the movie format and having it set somewhere entirely different really helps, it gives them a new subject to write material on. The script is actually very clever, Riley and Turner have snuck in so many little bits and pieces from fairy tales, I'm even pretty sure the crazy wife in the attic was a nod to Jane Eyre.

Gina Riley, Jane Turner and Magda Szubanski are national treasures, hands down Australia's funniest women, these ladies are just wonderful and all work well together, perfect chemistry. My favorite I have to say is Kim, she is such a right cow she's impossible not to love. This movie must have had a very large budget, as it looks terrific, some has been done on a green screen but that all adds to the Aussie feel, but everything else is just amazing to look at, they've captured Italy very well.

I do hope people ignore the bad reviews and go and make up their own minds, they might be pleasantly surprised at just how enjoyable it is, just take it for what it is which is a lighthearted comedy romp.

I hope all you fellow Aussies love it as much as I did.

A fun film

[kaila-02083 · 10/10 · 31 October 2019]

I loved the series and this movie is just great for when you want to switch off and relax. Don't take it too serious, it's meant to be ridiculous just like the series.

Good !

[jennfinn · 9/10 · 15 October 2021]

I didn't enjoy it as much as the series but it was still funny. One thing I didn't really get was why Kel was afraid to fly because they've flown together before so did something happen that I missed ? It's nice, it's different, it's unusual.