Movie Reviews

Me Myself I

5 April 2000

Since she entered films in 1994, Rachel Griffiths has been consistently good, without exactly being a star. Either she upstages everyone else in a small role (My Best Friend's Wedding, Divorcing Jack), or gives a great co-starring performance, only for the lead actor to give an even greater one (Muriel's Wedding, Hilary and Jackie).

Me Myself I might be all she needs to turn the tables. The title says it all. As well as providing an excuse to play Joan Armatrading's ludicrously catchy song, it suggests that this time, Griffiths isn't playing second fiddle to anyone.

Instead, she plays Pamela Drury, a highly successful, workaholic journalist whose private life is a mess. Now a miserable 30-something, she looks back on her life, and regrets turning down a marriage proposal, 13 years earlier, from the dapper Robert Dickson (David Roberts).

Then in a weird, Twilight Zone type moment, she meets with an alternative version of herself, who married Robert way back then. They trade places, and Pamela One is now a housewife with a troubled marriage and three difficult children. That's life.

Unlike many time travel films, Me Myself I suggests that our lives are ruled by choice rather than fate. In this case, the age-old choice between family or career. Writer-director Pip Karmel (who juggles both) handles this conundrum with flair. For someone best-known as an editor, her script is a very pleasant surprise, funny without being unnatural, soft without being gooey.

All the acting is impressive, particularly the kids, but Griffiths - essentially playing two completely different roles, even if they are the same person - is given a real chance to shine.

And shine she does. Here we have a wonderfully natural actor, who is nonetheless unafraid of playing the fool. Her elastic, expressive face provides some fine comic moments on its own. Forget Cate Whatshername; our Rachel is a genius!

Despite funding from France's Gaumont company, and a storyline that is pure Hollywood, Me Myself I remains strongly Australian. Some have argued that we really shouldn't be making such formulaic romantic comedies, but in this film, the answer seems clear: if we do them BETTER than Hollywood, why the heck not?