Jo Kennedy, Ross O'Donovan, Margo Lee, Max Cullen, Pat Evison ...( see more  see more... ) , John O'May

Director Gillian Armstrong (My Brilliant Career, Little Women) is behind this absolute gem of a movie. Though the soundtrack is pure New Wave, Starstruck has a surprisingly traditional plot. Jackie Mu...( read more  read more... )llins (Jo Kennedy, doing her own singing) has just gotta sing! And her cousin Angus is determined to make her famous. The two team up with local band The Wombats to take their shot at stardom and try to save the family pub. Starstruck's buoyant spirit will remind viewers of fellow Aussie films The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Strictly Ballroom, but it has a charming quirkiness all its own. Armstrong fills the background with sly sight gags and throwaway lines ("I'm looking for something good for the cat." "How about a brick and a bag?"), and the choreography has a real sense of humor, right down to the water ballet number with inflatable sharks. But for all its deliberate silliness, Starstruck is a musical with real heart; the 1980s hairdos and giant kangaroo costumes can't cover up the movie's deep central conviction that dreams really can come true. --Ali Davis

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71% liked it

1,294 ratings

PG, 94 min

Directed by: Gillian Armstrong

Release Date: November 10, 1982

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DVD Release Date: July 26, 2005

Stats: 69 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (69)


  • April 25, 2008
    Wandering into this film was a complete chance--a while back I began to seek films starring my favourite actor, Sam Neill. One such film was My Brilliant Career. The Region 1 release was produced by Blue Underground, whose titles all went on sale late last year, and said s...( read more)ale included a two pack with that film and this one, both directed by Gillian Armstrong, for the same price. I figured it wouldn't hurt and got both. I still haven't watched the one I bought the set for, but I have now seen this one. I had no clue what this movie was--at all. I discovered it was a musical relatively quickly, and unsurprisingly also an Australian film.

    Jackie Mullens (Jo Kennedy) is an aspiring singer, her younger cousin Angus (Ross O'Donovan) is her manager and songwriter. The two get into a local club for an open mic night and Jackie "blows the roof off" (as Angus says), spending the night with guitarist Robbie (Ned Lander). They are both chastised by Jackie's mum, who does not particularly believe in the dreams of her offspring and nephew, and so we see that the conflict of the movie is Jackie being put in a position to participate in Top of the Pops-style tv show of host Terry (John O'May), thereby making their way to a stage competition for $25,000 to (of course!) save the family pub in which they all live. Scheming humour and Aussie accents pave the way between energetic new wave numbers that are terribly, terribly catchy (I've been singing them for days following, and do wish the soundtrack were out on CD, though I may pick up the LP one day).

    The characters are all likable--there isn't really even a villain of sorts, and it is just an absolutely infectiously joyous film, with a fun, upbeat soundtrack, a very positive feeling and amusing sense of humour. While there's some wobbliness to the young performances of Ross at least (and to a lesser extent Ned and occasionally Jo), it is done with such tremendous fun that it absolutely does not matter. The choreography and staging of the songs is fantastic and fun, with some feeling of both guerilla amateur and a clever, knowledgeable variety. What more to say of a comedy musical? I'm not sure. It's absolutely worth seeing and damn good fun, and my--quirky--kind of musical.
  • September 19, 2007
    I loved this cool Australian 80's movie. Very cheesy, but so funny and great. ;) One of my favorite 80's movies. ;) It's quite charming back in the day, and brings back some 80's memories. :)
  • October 21, 2009
    What was most ironic is that I didn't feel the lead actress had any kind of star appeal, but the actor who plays her cousin/manager stole the freaking show. He was so unbearably hilarious I just wanted to eat him. And while the musical productions were a blast, I could rarely u...( read more)nderstand the lyrics because of the Australian accents and New Wave production.
  • June 22, 2008
    The Australian's seem to have a way with films that normally would seem way over sentimental and making them totally work. This movie is right near the top of that list.
  • June 26, 2007
    This movie seriously speaks to me.
  • May 30, 2007
    I love this Aussie coming-of-age musical. A bit hard to understand their accent at times, but it's all great fun.
  • January 18, 2007
    Because its fun and Roz hates it!
  • November 9, 2006
    Outrageous Aussie funny tale about a teen wannabe singer helped in her ambition by her 14-year-old cousin.

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