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This day-in-the-life account of Kenny, a cheerful, hard-working Australian supplier of porta-potties, may be the most heartwarming mockumentary I’ve ever seen. It’s also screamingly funny. But this family affair – brother Shane and Clayton Jacobsen wrote the script; Clayton directs and Shane stars as Kenny — brings massive amounts of dignity to Kenny’s poo-pumping job, or “trade,” as he insists it is. The film never laughs at Kenny, and serves as a smart reminder about – if you’ll excuse the pun – not pissing on working-class folk from on high. (Because he’s so funny I forgive Kenny’s profane dad [played by Ronald Jacobsen, the filmmakers’ real-life dad] for constantly belittling his son’s occupation.) It’s Kenny’s deadpan, matter-of-fact throwaway observations on his underappreciated work – “there’s another classic example of someone having a two-inch arsehole and us having installed only one-inch piping” — that’ll have you laughing, but still lovin’ the big-hearted plumber. In English, with subtitles, for those with no ear for Aussie accents. Starts Fri., Sept. 19. Harris (AH)
This article appears in Sep 18-24, 2008.
