HOTEL COOLGARDIE

This low-budget Australian Documentary traces the experiences of two young Finnish women who arrive in Australia and land a three month contract working as barmaids, in a small country town called Coolgardie, in Western Australia.

They quickly learn that a town with a mere population of 1000 has limited resources for pleasure, so they spend most of their spare time in the pub socializing with the locals.

The cameras follow them around as they adapt to the constant swearing, the pissheads, larrikins and the constant verbal abuse from management, who regard them as unsuitable for the job.

Audiences will learn about the locals through filmed interactions, the ups and downs in their lives and the banality of living in such a small town. The ladies slowly bond and form friendships with the patrons, often providing support.

Production values are low in this very unique documentary which doesn’t stimulate the intellect, but does successfully spawn the occasional laugh, usually at the expense of a stereotyped Aussie yobbo or drunken old codger. (MMo)

★★★