Kenny

Dir: Clayton Jacobson

2006

****

Kenny was quite popular when it came out in 2006 but somehow it’s become almost forgotten. While it may have been influenced by The Office, I would argue that Shane Jacobson’s mockumentary is somewhat superior as it features just one subject throughout the course of an entire feature film, while The Office dealt with many separate issues that just so happened to happen within an office. Kenny came across as something of a refreshing change from the usual ‘Aussie bloke’ comedy and as well as being consistently funny, there is also something weirdly captivating about the subject matter and some truth to what Kenny tells his audience. Kenny is ‘The Dalai-Lama’ of Waste Management, eternally optimistic and always ready to put others before himself. The film, shot like a documentary, follows the fictional Kenny through his daily life. His work and his personal relationships are explored as he goes about his day-to-day activities and speaks directly to the camera and his audience. Kenny provides a most basic service to the community, portable toilets. The audience sees Kenny interviewing potential clients and working at major public events. The film has great detail to it and is far from the ‘poo jokes only’ comedy it may appear to be. It is important to Kenny to know the kind of food and drink to be served at these events as this will determine the level of service he provides. Never ashamed of his job, despite the disparagement of some (including his own family), Kenny regards himself as a professional. Even at the most prestigious events for which he caters, Kenny realises that the most glamorous will need his portable toilets. He sees life in all of its complexities through the need of his services – at the end of the day and no matter who you are and where you come from, we all need to poop. It’s one of life’s levelers. When Kenny travels to Nashville to attend a toilet convention, he is thrilled to travel outside his native Melbourne. His ingenuity, friendship and commitment to his profession opens business opportunities in Japan and the potential for a new relationship with Jackie, a flight attendant, but he must return home prematurely when his father suffers a medical emergency. In an early scene we see Kenny take his son Jesse to visit his father, only to be hampered by his ex-wife's uncooperativeness and his father's bitterness towards him. In an attempt at bonding, Kenny and his father and his wealthy brother David go camping. After half a day, David leaves in disdain, to which Kenny tries to defend prompting his father to tell Kenny to step out of his brothers shadow and stick up for himself, a conversation with his father back in the tent prompts Kenny to consider his life. He reveals that his success in Nashville has led to the offer of a promotion, and though his father urges him to accept, Kenny is unsure. When Kenny's ex-wife unexpectedly leaves him with Jesse on the day of the Melbourne Cup, his busiest day of the year, Kenny finds Jesse to be an able and cheerful assistant. However, prejudice against his work again appears, with customers complaining that a child should not be made to clean toilets, and Kenny remands Jesse to the office. When he returns to find Jesse gone, Kenny searches the venue in a panic and eventually finds Jesse at the toilets, wanting to help again. That night, as he is about to drive away in his septic tank truck after a long and exhausting day, Kenny's way is blocked by a luxury car whose driver insensitively brushes off his requests to move. Kenny eventually breaks habit to fill the man's car with human waste, a suggestion that perhaps Kenny has decided to stick up for himself a little bit more. It’s genuinely one of the most heartwarming comedies of the last few decades. Shane Jacobson is charming and about as likable as anyone can be as Kenny. What I also liked about the film is that it was for the little man, the blue collar worker and every-man. The film is quite unusual in that almost all of the events, companies and products referenced are actually real. Kenny's company Splashdown is a preexisting business that inspired creation of the film who also cooperated in its production. The Pumper and Cleaner Environmental Expo International exists just as shown, and the magazines, companies, and products shown at the show weren't creations for the film. So in many respects the film, even though a comedy, actually pays homage to the people and acts as a jokey tribute that rings true for many. It’s about as likable as you can get and damn near impossible to fault. If the film doesn’t tickle you then maybe the fact that Kenny’s first screening was held in the Southern Victorian town of Poowong will.