Mushrooms is a 1995 Australian comedy movie written and directed by Alan Madden.
Plot
Cast
Julia Blake as Flo
Simon Chilvers as Instep
Lynette Curran as Minnie
Brandon Burke as Lynch
George Shevtsov as Corris
Boris Brkic as Grubb
John Gaden as Reverend Branigan
Natalie McCurry as Maureen
Berynn Schwerdt as Flynn
Clarrie Thane as Constable Barnes
Christina Andersson as Mrs. Barnes
Kosta Trikaliotis as Constable Dimitrio
Barbara Gouskos as Mrs. Dimitrio
Tommy Dysart as Wilson
Nick Salakis as Constable Andrews
William Clark as Choir Master
Reception
The Age's Tom Ryan gave it a 2/3 star (Good viewing) review writing "The direction is generally assured, the wit is disarming, and 'Mushrooms' (whose title will remain unexplained) is graced by winning performances from three of Australia's best "grey power" character actors. Only in the later stages, when Madden unnecessarily busies himself with some extraneous plot material, does the film seem to lose its way. And even if the punch-line is predictable, it's also delectable in its neat intertwining of plot denouement and character resolution." Also writing for the Age Barbara Creed said "Although Mushrooms is generally amusing, it fails to reach its full potential as a black comedy because the characters of Minnie and Flo (their names say it all) are, basically, too nice. After several scenes, they become thoroughly predictable consequently, the script has to rely, more and more, on repetition of the main gag for laughs."
John Hartl of The Seattle Times wrote "if you respond to the veteran performers, who have appeared in many Australian films, stage productions and television series, "Mushrooms" will go down easily enough." Jay Carr reviewed it for The Boston Globe concluding "At times, the comedy threatens to lose momentum, but it rallies nicely at the end. First-time director Alan Madden also makes the film’s eccentricity-relishing tone part of what’s fun about watching it."