Review of “Kenny” at Minicine by Morticia Maguire-Broad (@ladylugosi) …
I’ve been going to see films at Armley Mills Industrial Museum for a while now – thanks to the sterling efforts of the people at Minicine who put on a varied and interesting selection of short films along with main features once a month. I’ve seen all sorts of things from French Canadian coming of age tales,black and white documentaries about cow fighting in Switzerland, documentaries about independent record shops and last month it was Kenny.
Plus not only do they show aces films they also have delicious home made cake to nibble on before the film and the atmospheric oldy world surroundings of the Picture Palace deep within the heart of Armley Mills make it one of the best nights out at the cinema you can possibly have. The other bonus is of course that the people who go to Minicine showings actually want to watch and appreciate the film hence there is no talking or texting amongst the audience that mars so many multiplex showings.
But back to Kenny – ages ago a chum of mine emigrated to that Austrailia and she told me about a film she’d seen not long after she arrived there about a man called Kenny whose job involves looking after portable toilets, she told me I must see it as it is one of the funniest and most delightful films she’d ever seen. I was a bit sceptical as the thought of watching someone doing their poohy job didn’t immediately appeal but I’m really glad that I followed her advice and that Minicine gave me the chance to see it – as it was just that – both funny and delightful.
Shot in a fly on the wall mocumentary style it follows Kenny about his every day business, he’s proud of the work he does and the service he provides. His work involves not only the plumbing in and maintenance of the toilets but also determining the toilet needs of festival organisers as the kind of food on sale at these events makes a big difference to the numbers needed apparently. We also see him arguing with his ex-wife, tenderly tending his mothers grave, trying to look after his irascible and miserable father, counselling a work colleague who is about to get married, taking his son who he absolutely adores to work with him for the day, not getting on very well with his brother, taking on speedway festival goers who are determined to set the toilets on fire, meeting an air stewardess and scoring a big contract with the sushi cowboy when he heads to Nashville for an international portable toilet convention.
It’s funny, sad in the true sense of the word,poignant and heartwarming and if you see this film and don’t end up with a huge smile on your face then you’re not human. I am glad that film is an entirely audio and visual experience though as I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much if it had been in Smello-vision as well.
For details of all Minicine showings please check out www.miniminicine.com