After watched this movie in late of nineties and found it above average movie, many years this film was release on DVD here for an small label, today l re-watched it again this amazing movie about self respect, love, loyalty, contempt and mainly happiness, Toni Collette in your best role ever, gave to the movie a cult reputation, incredible funny sometimes and sadness too, supported by Abba soundtrack it's a really fresh and original movie from Australia.

When I read reviews for this film when it first came out, I was pretty interested in seeing it. Phrases like "sleeper hit" and "funny and quirky" seemed to do most reviews I read. But, when I finally saw the film, I was amazed at how unfunny the film was. Considering the plot, a lot more could have been done to make Muriel funnier as well as have the audience care more about this moronic and selfish lady.

Muriel is an overweight loser who desperately wants to get married in a big and beautiful church wedding. The only problem is she hasn't had a date in years. So, given that she's pretty flaky and selfish, she pretends to have a fiancé and announces she's getting married. Most of the film consists of showing her and her best friend as they whoop it up in preparation for the big day.

None of this really makes sense as the wedding cannot be. Plus, instead of having the story be about a nice girl who gets in over her head, I just found myself disliking Muriel and thinking she was an idiot. If the film garnered more empathy for her, it could have been a much better and interesting movie.

Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette) is the fat ridiculed girl. She catches the wedding bouquet and all the girls pressure her to give it up. Her family is a bunch of lay-abouts. Her father Bill is a bully and her mother is a pushover. Bill is a corrupt local politician in Porpoise Spit, Australia. Muriel daydreams, lies and steals. Deidre Chambers offers a job and her mother gives her a blank cheque to be paid to Deidre. Instead Muriel uses it for a vacation and finding a husband. She is spotted by Rhonda Epinstalk (Rachel Griffiths) from her childhood. She decides to run away to Syndey where she lives with Rhonda. Bill walks out on the family and is under investigation. Rhonda becomes a paraplegic from a tumor.

This is such a quirky funny Australian indie filled with dark wacky characters. It is such an odd unique movie. The humor comes from anger and mostly unlikeable characters. Muriel is not a normal character. She's insanely clingy, secretly bitter and outwardly delusional. The only normal character is Epinstalk and she faces some real darkness. The whole movie has a lot of darkness. There is a good deal of both laughing at Muriel and along with Muriel. There is also something ABBA that fits the craziness. It is both cheesy and upbeat. It keeps the movie from crumbling under the weight of Muriel's behavior and the small mindedness. Things get quite dark but it never succumbs to it. The last half's tone turn dark and ends in a very uplifting feel.