Save Your Legs
Starring: Stephen Curry, Damon Gameau, Brendan Cowell
Directed By: Boyd Hicklin
Reviewed by Danielle Muir

[rating: 3.5/5]

Aussie humour is indulging in its own unique flavour due to the new wave of local comic actors such as Peter Helliar, Stephen Curry, Shane Jacobsen and Brendan Cowell.  Sarcastic, blokey and with distinct personalities encompassing local traits we all recognise in our true-blue selves, this formula really seems to be hitting its stride as 2012 draws to a close.

Teddy Brown loves his cricket.  Proud President of the below average Abbotsford Anglers cricket club, Brown decides it’s time for the team to step up to the next level.  After some unsuccessful attempts at training sessions but persistent pestering of Sanjeet Thambuswamy who sponsors a team to India each year, the team don their trademark Abbortsford blue and venture into Mumbai to represent Australia against the locals.

Although they seemed to have simplified the game’s scoring system for the unfamiliar, cricket fans will not only find the sporting scenes well shot and exhilarating, but the style of humour a perfect fit.  The jokes aren’t overly blokey, just quintessentially Australian (trivia nights, living in your mate’s garage, scenarios real aussies can identify with).  Teddy’s ultra-seriousness and enthusiasm is adorable, as he gives a pep talk at each game worthy of an international grand final speech.  Every cast member has been given characters perfectly suiting their appearance and somewhat natural demeanour, with the slightly slimey Stavros (Gameau) supplying the pompous arrogance and Cowell’s big, cuddly features suiting his carefree, marijuana-smoke filled, betrothed Rick.  In addition, the smaller supporting members of the team are equally loveable, with characters such as ‘the guru’, a man so large and hairy he resembles a Viking, and the energetic vice-president.

Cowell’s script is full of some great physical and dialogue-based gags, however (as with most comedy films these days) all of the best jokes are thrown in the first half of the film before the sentimentality kicks in towards the latter.  This means that the film lulls a little in momentum whilst Brown is throwing a big tantrum about his undedicated team, and there are a few too many ‘players getting stoned before the big game’ moments.  Also, the ending – to be expected considering every film with elements of Bollywood appears to conclude this way – is hilarious purely to watch the physicality of it, but perhaps a little clichéd.  Oh well, it’s good for a laugh.  And that’s the attitude which should be taken into this film.  Along with a beer, perhaps.

Save Your Legs is a delightful cricket caper that is well acted, well shot and is overall an entertaining piece of fun.  Cricket fans and lovers of Australian comedy will get a kick out of this sporting romp that has a decent amount of heart – and you’ll fall in love with the iconic Teddy Brown, his passion for Sachin Tendulkar and his delightful tightey-whiteys.