The Banger Sisters [M]

Back in the day, Lavinia and Suzette were the Banger Sisters: famous groupies who slept with only the best. Now, years later, Suzette still retains her brazenness and free spirit, but Lavinia has moved on to become a prim and upstanding rich wife of a lawyer. When she loses her job, Suzette makes for Phoenix to ask Lavinia for money. Along the way she picks up a complicated man named Harry, who is travelling to Phoenix for sinister reasons of his own. And once back in Lavinia’s life, Suzette awakens a defiance and life in, not just her old best friend, but Lavinia’s entire family as well. 

This is a wonderfully funny and light film that’s filled with wit, charm, warmth, laughs, and memorable characters. It holds something for audiences of adolescent and adult variety and is generally a really nice film all around. 

Back in the day, Lavinia and Suzette were the Banger Sisters: famous groupies who slept with only the best. Now, years later, Suzette still retains her brazenness and free spirit, but Lavinia has moved on to become a prim and upstanding wife and mother. When she loses her job, Suzette makes for Phoenix to ask Lavinia for money. Along the way, she picks up a complicated man named Harry who is travelling to Phoenix for his own sinister reasons. And once back in Lavinia’s life, Suzette awakens a defiance and life in, not only her old friend, but also Lavinia’s entire family. 

The story was nice, fresh, and original but, without a doubt, what made The Banger Sisters a good film was the bizarre mixture of the cast.
We have Goldie Hawn, with the world’s most excellent smile, playing a brazen and somewhat trampy home wrecker with harmless, but selfish, intentions. Goldie was gorgeous as a has-been, and she provided the film with wit, heart, and the right amount of sass. I loved her. 

Susan Sarandon stars as Lavinia, the former “blast” now turned upstanding and respectable wife. Initially, you watch this and think that Susan plays the perfect mum, but then she cuts her hair and dons the tight pants and we see a woman who has completely forgotten who she is. Susan did a great job of playing the character that had lost its way, and she did it with wit, charisma, and a tad of insanity. 

And finally, we have Geoffrey Rush as the character of Harry. Providing the film with a real sense of drama and general paranoia, Geoffrey delivered yet another brilliant performance that was confused, fearful, complicated, and, despite initial turn-offs, wonderfully charming. I do have a great admiration for Geoffrey Rush I have to admit. 

Also starring Erika Christensen, Robin Thomas, and Eva Amurri, The Banger Sisters is a great little film that’s light, fun, fresh, and filled with charm, wit, comedy, penises, sex, and self-improvement. I enjoyed it very much.