Kenny

An Australian mockumentary predicated on the notion its titular main character is one of society’s “invisible” citizens, this comedy bridges (literal) potty humor with occasionally incisive social commentary to make for an easily exportable flick about a man who cleans porta-potties. With smart marketing and good luck, this one could conceivably have the sort of proportional yield of the proverbial indie breakout. It’s funny, accessible and ultimately a good time.

When asked at parties, Kenny (Shane Jacobson) tells people he’s a “plumber.” He doesn’t seem to say “plumber” as opposed to say “cleaner and manager of porta-loos” out of shame. Rather, he’s always seeking to be friendly. And, he’s found, few things are more alienating than sharing the dirty details of your gig—if it’s that gig, anyway. He’s a great employee; he tries hard, keeps himself clean (a subject revisited repeatedly) and plays the role of a generally good guy. His ex-wife disrespects him, his father calls his work a false career (in front of Kenny’s son, no less) and his co-workers fight or flee the job in equal turns. The fact he’s consistent in his efforts and kindness is a big part of what sets the character apart from his otherwise more visible peers. Kenny, it seems, is not less visible because he cleans johns, he’s also less visible because he’s (a metaphorical) peon.

Issues of hypocrisy naturally arise. At a high-end horse race, an older woman scolds Kenny for bringing his son to work (his wife neglected to tell him it was “his day” to spend with the kid), yet after a few drinks, the same well-heeled lady laughs hysterically as her clearly younger family members pee, publicly, next to (presumably) her car.

The most interesting thing about Kenny is the way it wields its faux-reality status. The structure is high Hollywood, classic in most senses, and it finds a lot of its best laughs by way of good narrative positioning/timing. This consistently good timing makes more pronounced the film’s extensive scripting, and while it detracts from the feel of “reality”—as it were—a modicum of comedy comes from the play between the real and explicitly falsified. So while Kenny does not purport to be fantastically well styled, or carefully calculated, it’s occasional mixing of highly contrived bits and seemingly improvised moments makes for a nice experience—the sort that keeps you both interested and guessing.

Distributor: Xenon Pictures
Cast: Shane Jacobson, Eve Von Bibra, Ronald Jacobson, Jesse Jacobson, Ian Dryden and Morihiko Hasebe
Director: Clayton Jacobson
Screenwriter: Clayton Jacobson & Shane Jacobson
Producers: Clayton Jacobson and Rohan Timlock
Genre: Comedy
Running time: 103 min.
Release date: August 1 ltd.