It takes three to make a trend, but there is something odd about the fact that two films have been released this year revolving around grown men who are awkward by day, but stalwart superheroes by night. The story is about the only thing that “Super” and “Griff the Invisible” have in common, however. The former film, starring Rainn Wilson from “The Office,” was a funny and violent look at a guy getting his manhood back. The latter is a quirky, sweet romantic comedy about a guy learning to live in the world.
Ryan Kwanten is transformed here from the ladies’ man he plays in “True Blood” to a bit of a loser, albeit a handsome one. Griff is a Sydney paper pusher who’s an easy target for the office bully. He got the job thanks to his big brother, Tim (Patrick Brammall), who moved from Adelaide to help Griff get his life back together. Tim thinks Griff has succeeded. “Got bullied at the last job, didn’t you? Just like at school,” he says, not realizing that the pattern has continued.
| On screen |
| ‘Griff the Invisible’ |
| 2.5 out of 4 stars |
| Stars: Ryan Kwanten, Maeve Dermody, Patrick Brammall |
| Director: Leon Ford |
| Rated: Not rated |
| Running time: 90 minutes |
So has something else: Griff’s nighttime activities. Tim hopes his brother has given up the superhero schtick, but he hasn’t: “I made a promise to rid this city of evil in the name of justice. It’s not a choice, it’s a responsibility.” He doesn’t tell the overbearing Tim, though. But Tim’s new girlfriend, Melody (Maeve Dermody), figures it out. Along with one other thing — she likes the oddball much more than she does the normal but slightly obnoxious guy she’s dating.
This Australian film feels like an American independent film, but it’s more charming than the stereotypical dark indie. The script is bursting with highbrow kookiness, but it’s the acting that makes this film stand out. Kwanten shows some range here, and he plays his loner just right: weird, but not weird enough to turn off a sympathetic audience. Dermody is reminiscent here of winsome French actresses like Melanie Laurent (“Inglourious Basterds”) and Sara Forestier (“The Names of Love”). She and “Griff” prove that no nationality has a monopoly on cute.
