SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Sadly Over-hyped

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

For more than three decades, starting in the late 1950s, Graham Kennedy reigned supreme as Australia's most popular and highly publicized television funny man. Famous for his outrageous and often controversial antics in front of the cameras, Kennedy hosted a string of top rating variety and game shows together with a satirical news program, winning a record six Gold Logies along the way.Several books and TV specials had been devoted to his stellar career before and immediately after his death in 2005. However, it wasn't until 2007 that his story became the subject of a telemovie , appropriately titled "The King" - a monicker that was bestowed on him at the peak of his success in the 1960s. But , when the film was premiered, it was strongly criticized by many friends and former colleagues of the legendary entertainer. The main complaints were that it contained far too many historical inaccuracies and also that it was grossly unfair, portraying Kennedy as being a dark, almost sinister, figure, something that he never was according to those who were closest to him.Although Stephen Curry and Stephen Hall give excellent performances in their respective roles as Kennedy and his long time on air partner Bert Newton, the movie ultimately fails to reach its full potential due to a decidedly weak script and its misplaced emphasis. For those who have any genuine interest in learning more about Kennedy, what made him tick and how he managed to dominate the industry for so long, no real insight has been provided.Ironically, for a film that was, presumably, meant to highlight the extraordinary talents of our most dynamic, inventive and adored television jester, viewers are given very little reason to laugh at any point of the proceedings. Indeed, the general mood is downright bleak for no apparent reason with "The King" being depicted as a permanently depressed and hateful ogre. Such a portrayal seems to bear little, if any, resemblance to the man about whom so many have spoken very publicly and with much affection over the years .Kennedy was certainly a complex character who had one or two private demons and there's no question that he seriously neglected his health , being a heavy smoker and drinker. As a performer, he was demanding and, occasionally , volatile behind the scenes. Away from the studios, he was an intensely private, low key individual who preferred quiet domesticity. But he was no scowling misanthrope or beetle man who spent his days hiding in dark corners. Having been involved in the Melbourne show business scene back in the 1970s and ' 80s, I got to know a number of people who worked with Graham . One gent , in particular, knew him well enough for he and his wife to be invited down to Frankston for dinner. To this day, the man in question has nothing but happy memories of that evening that was spent by the bay with "Gra Gra"- someone who proved to be an easy going, thoughtful and charming host."GK" loved his work and the challenge of making people laugh. He also had many other interests outside of television which included a passion for books, reading, history, cooking, travel and various charity groups of which he remained a dedicated supporter throughout his life. However, Graham Kennedy will be primarily remembered as the first and most enduring superstar of Australian television. Each night when the red light came on, the real "King" was able to instantly transform himself into an electrifying wizard of wittiness who conjured up an endless procession of comedic delights out of thin air. Sadly none of that magic and charisma has been effectively recreated in this flimsy and superficial biopic which, in the end, adds up to little more than a missed opportunity.

This TV movie title tells us Graham Kennedy was the anointed king of the formative years of Australian television but the writers here failed by not showing enough of how he earned that reputation. He was supposedly the funniest media entertainer of his era but besides brief moments with giant cat food cans and a cough medicine send up, we see very little proof. Although well- produced and Stephen Curry won an AFI Award for the role, all surviving close friends of the real Kennedy were united in their comments that there was nothing of the Graham Kennedy they knew in this production's portrayal. So what was missing? - possibly the profound brightness, warmth and humour he was most famous for. Curry is good, but on best advice he's playing an expedient character the writers have cooked up - the opportunity for a more memorable biography lost with the failure to expose the real Kennedy - the starting point for a decent biography. More foolish again is the insulting portrayal of Channel 9 anchorman Geoff Corke, the first man on a TV broadcast in Melbourne. The lazy writers try to re-invent Corke as a dime-store Indian. Corke was a driving force in the founding of television production and station management. People like Corke had no predecessors or role models. They created and defined the technique of TV production and presentation. Corke was hugely popular - his wedding in Melbourne was an unprecedented media event there drawing a crowd of 15,000. Graham Kennedy was there too as best man. Only the dynamic of Kennedy and Newton combined managed to challenge Corke's position at the top. The Nine Network's involvement in the production is obvious with the polite rendition of former CEO bully Frank Packer. This forlock-tugging production would have us believe Packer was the King. Of goblins maybe. Archive footage of Kennedy on air shows him laughing until the tears stream down his face - with people like Corke stage managing Kennedy's live to air anarchy and loving it. That's what was uniquely Australian about this era of TV. It's largely missing in this movie.

A pretty well acted docu-drama but I thought it was rather jerky in places, and could have done with some additional filling. Probably, the show would have done better as a two part 4 hour mini-series, as it did not seem to fit well into such a short time frame (under 2 hours including ad breaks).For those who do not know of the legacy of Graham Kennedy's incredible contribution to Australian television this made for TV movie will not mean a whole lot, simply because there was not enough of the on screen personality that was Graham to really let strangers know why he was so revered in Australia. They will walk away wondering what the fuss was all about.Perhaps the "warts and all" approach (his homosexuality, backstabbing of others, and eventual reclusiveness)was over emphasised, which left less screen time for the TV personality that was GK. I don't honestly know, but I would have liked a bit more than what we got of the public persona, at the expense of the expose, in such a brief movie, or more of both - a longer show. It just all happened to quickly.9/10 for the acting, the quality of the rendition of, particularly 1950's, Melbourne and the TV industry at the time. 5/10 for what I felt was choppy editing, and huge gaps in his career not being even alluded to. And 10/10 for the footage of the real Graham shown at the end. At least for a minute or so, the true abilities of the man shined out on the screen.7/10 Norm

Fantastic acting by all. Stephen Curry is uncanny in his portrayal of The King, I thought I was watching the actual Graham Kennedy. Stephen Hall was also very good as Bert. Having seen the making of this drama-documentary was an eye opener as to the complexities of this film. Many of Graham's close friends and associates were quite surprised and amazed as to Stephen Curry's acting abilities - they also thought that they were seeing Graham again!!! The other support cast were great also - some seasoned actors like Shaun Micallef, Steve Bisley and Garry McDonald - Superb! Overall, a fitting tribute to the greatest ever TV personality Australia has produced!!!!