There is not one single shot in The Castle that draws attention to itself. In other words, it is a film lacking a self-conscious awareness of itself as a film. One could well forward a critique of the cinematic quality by arguing that it almost looks like one of those documentaries constructed primarily from home video of the subject at hand. In most cases, of course, that would definitely be a significant criticism to levy against a feature film, even a comedy. In this case, however, it is the ultimate compliment to its director, Rob Sitch.
What makes this quirky Aussie comedy so funny—what makes the comedy “work” if you will—is the utter lack of self-consciousness on the part of its characters to recognize that they are people worthy of satire, even a gentle irony-heavy sort of satire which is the narrative engine of the film. These are people who are sincerely not aware that they would be deemed worthy of being laughed by people around the globe. They possess a sincerity that is as refreshing as it is tragically sad.
One can easily sit back in the comfort of their home and stream the scenes of Darryl Kerrigan going on and on about his wife’s apparently completely mundane cooking skills as if she is a graduate of the Cordon Bleu and not feel an urge toward an expression of snark. Seated at that same cramped kitchen table, however, and it would take absolute control not to say something to Darryl about how he can possibly think chicken or meatloaf prepared in pretty much the same way it will be prepared in about half a billion other kitchens that night is deserving of his excessive praise. The man loves his wife and he loves her cooking and he is himself only aware of that essence of his self-identity. The distance between him and the viewer is enough to let sleeping dogs lie, but in real life things would go much differently.
There is something magical going on in this movie. The characters are constantly revealing themselves as ignorant and lacking depth of imagination and capable of confusing mere statements of fact with profound philosophical wisdom and yet they don’t irritate as they would if they were our neighbors. In fact, it is safe to assume that for many people—if not most—living next door to the Kerrigans would produce antagonistic feelings instead of respect and genuine affection expressed by their on-screen neighbors. But somehow or another, most people who have seen this movie end up expressing the same respect and affection.
The secret lies in Sitch’s masterfully under-appreciated directorial influence. It is not magic or even particularly an expression of cinematic genius. It is, in fact, as old as filmmaking itself: matching form to content. If any of the Kerrigan kids took up an interest in filmmaking, the result would probably look something like The Castle. It would be a case of pointing the lens and shooting with nothing fancy or artsy because that would imply they are familiar with those types of films. The movie is directed without style or flash and that is absolutely on purpose. It is as if the film itself is another child of the Kerrigan parents. It doesn’t care that you might think the direction is pedestrian or amateurish or lacking in stylistic flourishes because in place of any self-consciousness awareness of these criticism is an oversized self-confidence in its greatness.
The narrator absolutely worships his father. And the father really does belief that another son, Steve, is truly an “idea man” despite all evidence to the contrary. Darryl’s expression of absolute disbelief that anybody would prefer going anywhere in the world other than to where he has built the family’s vacation home—Bonnie Doon—is one of complete sincerity even though the visuals indicate that this place is most assuredly not one of those thousand places you should visit before you die. The happiness of his happy family is constructed on self-confidence even though that self-confidence is as misplaced as it could possibly be. The same is true of the film’s direction. Conventionally speaking, the film’s direction should be as far from self-confident as the Kerrigan family themselves. And yet, much like the Kerrigan family, it is also impossible not to find things about it worthy of admiration.
