John Ainsworth, 22/07/2008
‘The Dish’ is that rare thing – a movie that’s as near to perfect as it is possible to get. Distinctly Australian, it has much the same appeal as the better known, ‘Strictly Ballroom’, with both movies placing a magnifying glass over a bunch of quirky characters. It’s safe to say that if you liked ‘Strictly Ballroom’, you’ll enjoy ‘The Dish’, although the latter is perhaps not quite as grotesque as the former and has a softer edge to it.
Unlike ‘Strictly Ballroom’ though, ‘The Dish’ is actually based, albeit loosely, on true events. In 1969, the unremarkable and remote town of Parkes in New South Wales took centre stage as part of NASA’s first mission to the Moon. Home to a large radio telescope – the ‘Dish’ of the title - Parkes was nominated as a communication relay station for the southern hemisphere and was instrumental in broadcasting television pictures of the Moon landing to the world. With the eyes of NASA, the Australian Prime Minister and the world upon them, the people of Parkes scramble to make the most of their town’s new found celebrity status. Meanwhile, at the dish itself, the pressure is on for the small team of scientists and their NASA liaison. Needless to say, not all goes according to plan.
Sam Neill stars and delivers a beautifully understated performance as the calm and recently bereaved, chief scientist, Cliff Buxton. Neill’s solid performance provides a credible base which successfully prevents the story from becoming too ludicrous in some of the more comedic moments. And of those moments there are plenty, most of them involving Roy Billing, as the endearingly ignorant Mayor of Parkes, and his family who suddenly find themselves welcoming the US Ambassador and the Australian premiere to their little town. The most unforgettable, laugh-out-loud moment involves the American National Anthem, but to say any more would spoil the fun.
Very much a feel-good-movie, it’s hard to imagine that anyone could find fault with ‘The Dish’. The performances are pitch-perfect from Sam Neill down to the most minor supporting characters – all of whom have their own distinct personalities and quirks and are well served by the sharply written script. This movie should be on everyone’s ‘must-see’ list. And if you’ve already seen it, maybe it’s time to see it again!
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