The Wannabes
Encyclopedia
The Wannabes is a 2003 Australia
n comedy film
starring Nick Giannopoulos
, Russell Dykstra
, Isla Fisher
, Ryan Johnson
, Michael Carman
, Lena Cruz
, Tony Nikolakopoulos
, Costas Kilias
, Chantal Contouri
and Felix Williamson
. Rove McManus
also appears in the film as himself, promoting The Wannabes on his TV show Rove Live
.
) is a talentless entertainer who is hired by Marcus (Russell Dykstra
) and his motley crew to turn them into the biggest kids' group since The Wiggles
. But while Danny is training them to become The Wannabes, they're secretly planning to use their new identity as cover to pull off a heist of a diamond necklace from the very rich Aurora Van Dyke (Lena Cruz
). Aurora has hosted a party for her grandchild, and booked all the best child entertainers in town to perform, and as The Wannabes prepare for the show, two of the characters steal the necklace.
The burglary doesn't go as planned, so they ditch the necklace and escape the scene without being caught. But after the escapade something totally unexpected happens; they end up becoming the hottest kids' band in the country. They even have The Wannabes merchandise and posters, etc.; they release an album and even do a performance on the Australian show Rove Live. Their fame continues to build until Aurora Van Dyke discovers they were the people responsible for trying to steal her necklace. After some escapades including abduction and rescuing, The Wannabes discover crime doesn't pay, but kids groups do.
Luke Buckmaster of In Film Australia said "This agitating juvenile comedy slides on a downwards trajectory into the wastelands of bad comedy and poor screen writing. (Writer and director Nick Giannopoulos) never decides who The Wannabes is intended for -- is it a movie for grown ups? Is it a movie for kids? The film's tonal indecision subsequently renders it inappropriate for any specific demographic."
Movie critic and editor of Film Inc magazine, Erin Free described The Wannabes as "More or less a comic abomination. That's a complete failure, that film."
Australian DVD review website Michael D's Region 4 DVD Info Page noted that it is "dripping with countless and obvious faults in both its concept and execution. For example, the script is so poorly written and constructed, that I am astounded that it was ever green-lit for filming in that condition."
MaryAnn Johanson from the Flick Filosopher described the film as "a terrifying attempt at a children's movie... or a horrible attempt at satire. It's hard to tell which -- either way, you should run in the other direction as fast as you can and never look back. Maybe it's a cultural thing, but this is one of the worst films I've ever seen." But there have been some good reviews. People magazine told us it was a weird hilarios movie. OK magazine said Nick Giannopoulos gave it a great go and succeeded.
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 film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Nick Giannopoulos
Nick Giannopoulos
Nick Giannopoulos is a Australian stand-up comedian, film and TV actor. He is best known for his comedy stage show Wogs Out of Work alongside George Kapiniaris and the television sitcom Acropolis Now and is an exponent of wog comedy.-Early life:Nick is an actor/writer/producer/director...
, Russell Dykstra
Russell Dykstra
Russell Dykstra is an Australian actor of screen, stage and TV. He trained at the schools of Jacques Lecoq and Philippe Gaulier.-Partial filmography:* Soft Fruit , 1999 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role...
, Isla Fisher
Isla Fisher
Isla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
, Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson (actor)
Ryan Johnson , an Australian actor who has appeared in numerous television series and films.-Biography:Johnson is a native of Brisbane. He attended Somerset College in Gold Coast, Queensland, and graduated from Queensland University of Technology in 1999. His most recent film role was in the...
, Michael Carman
Michael Carman
Michael Carman is an Australian film, television, and theatre actor. He attended Swinburne Film and Television School from 1971 to 1974.- Filmography :*Max's Dreaming as support*A Waltz Through the Hills as Sgt Rawlins*Hercules Returns as co-lead...
, Lena Cruz
Lena Cruz
Lena Cruz is a New Zealand actress who is probably best known for her role as Dr. Sofia Martinez in long running soap Shortland Street.-Film:-Television:-External links:...
, Tony Nikolakopoulos
Tony Nikolakopoulos
Tony Nikolakopoulos is a Greek Australian film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his work in the films of Nick Giannopoulos, The Wog Boy and The Wannabes, and for his role as Attilio in the television series Scooter: Secret Agent...
, Costas Kilias
Costas Kilias
Costantinos "Costas" Kilias is a Greek-Australian barrister and actor. Kilias is best known for his role as "Tony the Yugoslav" in The Wog Boy and Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos, as well as his role in The Castle...
, Chantal Contouri
Chantal Contouri
Chantal Contouri is an Australian actress.Contouri has had starring roles in Australian films and played guest and recurring roles in various television series. Television roles including nurse Tracey Wilson in the soap opera Number 96 in 1974–1975...
and Felix Williamson
Felix Williamson
-Career:He has had many roles in television, film and theatre and portrayed Paul Keating in the 2010 telemovie, Hawke opposite Richard Roxburgh's Bob Hawke....
. Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
also appears in the film as himself, promoting The Wannabes on his TV show Rove Live
Rove Live
Rove, formerly Rove Live, was an Australian television talk show which premiered on the Nine Network on 22 September 1999, before moving to Network Ten which aired the program from 2000 until November, 2009. The show was hosted by comedian Rove McManus, and featured an ensemble cast, who presented...
.
Plot
Danny (Nick GiannopoulosNick Giannopoulos
Nick Giannopoulos is a Australian stand-up comedian, film and TV actor. He is best known for his comedy stage show Wogs Out of Work alongside George Kapiniaris and the television sitcom Acropolis Now and is an exponent of wog comedy.-Early life:Nick is an actor/writer/producer/director...
) is a talentless entertainer who is hired by Marcus (Russell Dykstra
Russell Dykstra
Russell Dykstra is an Australian actor of screen, stage and TV. He trained at the schools of Jacques Lecoq and Philippe Gaulier.-Partial filmography:* Soft Fruit , 1999 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role...
) and his motley crew to turn them into the biggest kids' group since The Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
. But while Danny is training them to become The Wannabes, they're secretly planning to use their new identity as cover to pull off a heist of a diamond necklace from the very rich Aurora Van Dyke (Lena Cruz
Lena Cruz
Lena Cruz is a New Zealand actress who is probably best known for her role as Dr. Sofia Martinez in long running soap Shortland Street.-Film:-Television:-External links:...
). Aurora has hosted a party for her grandchild, and booked all the best child entertainers in town to perform, and as The Wannabes prepare for the show, two of the characters steal the necklace.
The burglary doesn't go as planned, so they ditch the necklace and escape the scene without being caught. But after the escapade something totally unexpected happens; they end up becoming the hottest kids' band in the country. They even have The Wannabes merchandise and posters, etc.; they release an album and even do a performance on the Australian show Rove Live. Their fame continues to build until Aurora Van Dyke discovers they were the people responsible for trying to steal her necklace. After some escapades including abduction and rescuing, The Wannabes discover crime doesn't pay, but kids groups do.
Reaction
Australian critics have generally given the film a negative reception.Luke Buckmaster of In Film Australia said "This agitating juvenile comedy slides on a downwards trajectory into the wastelands of bad comedy and poor screen writing. (Writer and director Nick Giannopoulos) never decides who The Wannabes is intended for -- is it a movie for grown ups? Is it a movie for kids? The film's tonal indecision subsequently renders it inappropriate for any specific demographic."
Movie critic and editor of Film Inc magazine, Erin Free described The Wannabes as "More or less a comic abomination. That's a complete failure, that film."
Australian DVD review website Michael D's Region 4 DVD Info Page noted that it is "dripping with countless and obvious faults in both its concept and execution. For example, the script is so poorly written and constructed, that I am astounded that it was ever green-lit for filming in that condition."
MaryAnn Johanson from the Flick Filosopher described the film as "a terrifying attempt at a children's movie... or a horrible attempt at satire. It's hard to tell which -- either way, you should run in the other direction as fast as you can and never look back. Maybe it's a cultural thing, but this is one of the worst films I've ever seen." But there have been some good reviews. People magazine told us it was a weird hilarios movie. OK magazine said Nick Giannopoulos gave it a great go and succeeded.