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Uppercut

by Ryan N. Wilcox

Like Dale Kerrigan, I want to dig a hole One of the most heartwarming comedies I have ever seen was a complete fluke. I happened upon it when I rented "The Castle." It wasn't until after I watched and loved it that I learned it is considered one of the funniest movies ever made in Australia. On top of all that, this movie has a little surprise, a guest appearance by the yet to be discovered Eric Bana. The Kerrigan family was very proud of their home. It was within walking distance of the airport. They had the pens for their retired racing dogs in the back, the power lines are so close, they hum with electricity that is delivered to the whole city, and eventually, they will finish their shed. However, when the government chooses to increase the size of the airport and tries to acquire the Kerrigan house, they fight back. One of the great things about this movie is the actual Kerrigan family. They are a very simple family with simple tastes. One brother buys stuff from local want ads, another takes great pride in digging a hole (the character is probably 20 years old). The daughter had been through the most schooling, having been to cosmetology school, and the parents just dote over them. The dynamic is beautiful, and you cannot help but love every one of them, even the oldest brother who is in prison because of a few wrong choices he made in his youth. It's the story about the small guy fighting the system. All he wants is a place to raise his family. It's a place that he has known and loved for years and that's the place where he always wants to live. Of course, the powers that be cannot seem to fathom this decision and keep trying to up the ante. What they don't understand is that it's not about money. It's about memories and dreams, and the lives they've created. You can't buy happiness, just like you cannot buy a home. You buy a house, but you make a home. That is the general theme of this picture, and you cannot help but smile from ear to ear all the way through it. It's a wonderful Saturday afternoon matinee. However, it's a lot of the nuances that make this movie funny, so don't do laundry while watching it as you may miss any number of the wonderful quotes like, "Dad, you haven't let anyone down. I don't know what the opposite of lettin' someone down is... but you done the opposite." It is the story about a loving family who are in way over their head, but it's their family bond that holds them all together, and the strength of the community they created that helps to carry them through the story. I would love to have the simplicity and sincerity in my life as they do. I hope to carry on the values they express so well about why a home and family are important. This movie shows that it is much more than just a house. After all, it's their castle, and far more important than a really big driveway (for a plane).