Screenwriter Richard Curtis (‘Love Actually’) has stated that if you read a script and laugh out loud at least three times you have a certified hit on your hands.

So, director Stephan Elliott (‘Priscilla: Queen of the Desert’) knew he had found his next project in ‘A Few Best Men’.  And though Curtis hasn’t penned this particular venture, it still has plenty of British wit thanks to Dean Craig, writer of the hilarious ‘Death at a Funeral’, who brings plenty of comical insanity to the nuptials of UK slacker David (home-grown talent Xavier Samuel) and Aussie political princess Mia (Laura Brent), two young twenty-somethings who meet on an island holiday and fall instantly for each other, much to the distress of their respective families. 

Weddings tend to be great fodder for mayhem in the movies and ‘A Few Best Men’ is no exception; gimp masks, condoms full of cocaine, a gun-toting drug dealer and a cross-dressing sheep are all part of this special day that no one is guaranteed to forget.  Samuel and Brent make for adequate leads (Samuel Moreso as Brent comes across a bit amateurish) but, as tends to be the case in comedies, it’s the support players that are the real stand-outs.  Kris Marshall, whose gangly appearance will be instantly recognisable due to appearances in both ‘Love Actually’ and ‘Death at a Funeral’ is an absolute riot as David’s irresponsible best mate, and Kevin Bishop has ‘breakout star’ written all over him as the unlucky sap of the group who can’t seem to get anything to go his way (and I dare say his best man speech will go down as one of the funniest sequences of the year). 

On the female side of things Rebel Wilson (riding high off the success of ‘Bridesmaids’) is surprisingly restrained as the bride’s sister leaving the outrageous work to go to Olivia Newton-John.  If you ever wanted to see just how bad a girl little Sandy from ‘Grease’ grew up to be, look no further.  As to be expected the film is completely over-the-top, but in a time when quality Australian films are few and far between, let alone an Australian comedy, it’s refreshing to see a film like ‘A Few Best Men’ which is easily accessible to an international audience without having to sacrifice its Aussie spirit.