Bad Eggs
Encyclopedia
Bad Eggs is a 2003 Australia
n comedy
movie
, written and directed by Tony Martin
. It stars Mick Molloy
, Bob Franklin and Judith Lucy
, with Alan Brough
, Bill Hunter
, Marshall Napier
, Nicholas Bell
, Steven Vidler
, Shaun Micallef
, Robyn Nevin
, Brett Swain, Denis Moore and Pete Smith
having supporting roles.
Ben Kinnear (Molloy
) and Mike Paddock (Franklin) are police officers working for the Zero Tolerance Unit, a special division of Victoria Police
. When they accidentally shoot the corpse of a judge several times each, they are reprimanded but investigate his death, leading to several other accidents, for which they are relegated to uniform duty. Through Julie Bale (Lucy
), a former police officer and Kinnear's ex, they uncover a conspiracy involving the ZTU with bribery and corruption. They are joined by computer operator Northey (Brough
), but have to escape with their lives to avoid death at the hands of the ZTU's commander, Ted Pratt (Hunter
) and the network of corruption extending all the way to the Premier of Victoria (Micallef
).
As befits a film written by Tony Martin
, the humour in the movie was quite intelligent and sophisticated, though a lot of it came through one-liners
and slapstick
. The film marked Martin's directorial debut. Much of the cast and crew, including Molloy, Hunter, Martin and Lucy, had all worked on a previous film Crackerjack (2002).
The film performed moderately well at the Australian box-office and was also released in New Zealand. Molloy's talent as an actor was praised in some circles, as was the ARIA Award-nominated soundtrack by Dave Graney
and Clare Moore
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, written and directed by Tony Martin
Tony Martin (comedian)
Tony Francis Martin is a comedian and writer from Te Kuiti, New Zealand who has had a successful TV, radio, stand-up and film career in Australia.- Career :...
. It stars Mick Molloy
Mick Molloy
Michael "Mick" Molloy is an Australian comedian, writer and producer who has been active in the fields of radio, television, stand-up and film.-Biography:...
, Bob Franklin and Judith Lucy
Judith Lucy
Judith Mary Lucy is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy. She has toured Australia with several highly successful one-woman shows, including No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado , King Of The Road , An Impossible Dream , The Show , The Show 2 , Colour Me Judith...
, with Alan Brough
Alan Brough
Alan Brough is a New Zealand actor and comedian.Brough worked as an actor in Wellington and Auckland, mainly in live theatre...
, Bill Hunter
Bill Hunter (actor)
William John "Bill" Hunter was an Australian actor of film, stage and television. He appeared in more than 60 films and won two Australian Film Institute Awards.-Early life:Hunter was a son of William and Francie Hunter...
, Marshall Napier
Marshall Napier
Marshall James Napier is a New Zealand-born actor. He is the father of actress Jessica Napier and the uncle of actor James Napier.Before becoming an actor, Napier worked variously as an art student, factory worker and truck driver...
, Nicholas Bell
Nicholas Bell
Nicholas Bell is a British actor who has worked in Australia for more than 20 years. He is a regular actor in Melbourne Theatre Company productions as well as work with all the major broadcasters in Australia, most notably the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.-Film and television:Film credits...
, Steven Vidler
Steven Vidler (actor)
Steven Vidler is an Australian actor known for his part in the Scottish–Australian series Jeopardy.-Career:His film credits include The Good Wife where he played "Sugar", the younger brother who 'knew' his brother's wife...
, Shaun Micallef
Shaun Micallef
Shaun Patrick Micallef is an Australian actor, comedian and writer. After ten years of working in insurance law as a solicitor in Adelaide, Micallef moved to Melbourne to pursue a full-time comedy career in 1993...
, Robyn Nevin
Robyn Nevin
Robyn Anne Nevin AM , is an Australian stage and screen actress, and is considered by some as a doyenne of Australian theatre.- Early life :...
, Brett Swain, Denis Moore and Pete Smith
Pete Smith (announcer)
Peter Philip Smith OAM is an Australian radio and television voice-over artist. He is primarily known for his work with GTV-9 Melbourne as their announcer, including being the announcer on the nationally screened Sale of the Century for twenty-one years.-Radio:Upon leaving school, Smith joined...
having supporting roles.
Ben Kinnear (Molloy
Mick Molloy
Michael "Mick" Molloy is an Australian comedian, writer and producer who has been active in the fields of radio, television, stand-up and film.-Biography:...
) and Mike Paddock (Franklin) are police officers working for the Zero Tolerance Unit, a special division of Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
. When they accidentally shoot the corpse of a judge several times each, they are reprimanded but investigate his death, leading to several other accidents, for which they are relegated to uniform duty. Through Julie Bale (Lucy
Judith Lucy
Judith Mary Lucy is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy. She has toured Australia with several highly successful one-woman shows, including No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado , King Of The Road , An Impossible Dream , The Show , The Show 2 , Colour Me Judith...
), a former police officer and Kinnear's ex, they uncover a conspiracy involving the ZTU with bribery and corruption. They are joined by computer operator Northey (Brough
Alan Brough
Alan Brough is a New Zealand actor and comedian.Brough worked as an actor in Wellington and Auckland, mainly in live theatre...
), but have to escape with their lives to avoid death at the hands of the ZTU's commander, Ted Pratt (Hunter
Bill Hunter (actor)
William John "Bill" Hunter was an Australian actor of film, stage and television. He appeared in more than 60 films and won two Australian Film Institute Awards.-Early life:Hunter was a son of William and Francie Hunter...
) and the network of corruption extending all the way to the Premier of Victoria (Micallef
Shaun Micallef
Shaun Patrick Micallef is an Australian actor, comedian and writer. After ten years of working in insurance law as a solicitor in Adelaide, Micallef moved to Melbourne to pursue a full-time comedy career in 1993...
).
As befits a film written by Tony Martin
Tony Martin (comedian)
Tony Francis Martin is a comedian and writer from Te Kuiti, New Zealand who has had a successful TV, radio, stand-up and film career in Australia.- Career :...
, the humour in the movie was quite intelligent and sophisticated, though a lot of it came through one-liners
One-liner joke
A one-liner is a joke that is delivered in a single line. A good one-liner is said to be pithy.Comedians and actors use this comedic method as part of their act, e.g...
and slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
. The film marked Martin's directorial debut. Much of the cast and crew, including Molloy, Hunter, Martin and Lucy, had all worked on a previous film Crackerjack (2002).
The film performed moderately well at the Australian box-office and was also released in New Zealand. Molloy's talent as an actor was praised in some circles, as was the ARIA Award-nominated soundtrack by Dave Graney
Dave Graney
David John "Dave" Graney is an Australian rock musician and singer-songwriter from Mount Gambier, South Australia. Since 1979, Graney is generally accompanied by drummer, Clare Moore...
and Clare Moore
Clare Moore
Clare Christina Moore is an Australian musician, songwriter, arranger, producer and performer whose principal instrument is the drums. She has also performed as a keyboard player, singer and vibraphone player...
.