mattrochman Any Questions for Ben does deal with an interesting subject: the changes in your thinking and approach to life that occurs as you approach 30. However, there's a few problems with the production qualities of the film that generally lets it down. First, none of the actors look like they're in their late 20s. More like mid 30s and somehow that takes credibility out of it.Second, they gave him the wrong job and life for someone having that late-20s crisis. He's dating models, attending leading social events, driving sports cars and living the dream. Someone in that position having some sort of existential crisis seems comically unbelievable. Almost seems like a whinging playboy at times.Product placement was rich. Editing was snappy and dizzy. Pop rock music blasted in and out - and who on earth still does fade-to-black at the end of a scene? The film was way too long. Lots of things could have been left on the cutting room floor. It was apparently expensive to make, yet there's a pointless indulgent skiing trip in New Zealand and an unnecessary trip to Yemen at the end. The interplay between the characters was rather funny at times. The writers certainly have a good way of portraying awkward social situations and funny eccentricities in people we can relate to.The most unusual thing about this film is that its only mildly amusing for the most part, the scene where he's been interviewed by customs when the credits roll is absolutely hysterical.

Claire Boyles The story concept is great, really something I'd enjoy watching, I love marketing, love personal development, love romance. So a story of someone realising they're not quite doing life the way that leads to fulfillment is a good one. Love interest thrown in? You're onto a winner! Except that it's not a good movie, it shows twice as much information than is needed to make a point in the plot. The main character just comes across as a complete ass who has no feelings for anyone, barely himself. The "Mentor" character is awful, seriously, why would anyone take "advice" from someone like this? Some of the lines are just plain awful, I would class them at the level of high school kids learning how to write a screen play. A decent editor would have helped, to stop it getting boring but it would have simply moved my rating from a 3 to a 4.5 at best. The characters just weren't congruent/realistic, one scene where his friends fiancé supposedly is so frustrated with his attitude comes out of the blue and doesn't make any sense whatsoever.. Another point Ben is amazed that Alex can speak fluent Arabic, you'd have thought she'd just discovered the theory of relativity, or something similar that is truly amazing, rather than learned to speak the language of the country she's lived and worked in for years... Watching movies like this makes you realise just how good really great directors and editors actually are, you don't notice their skills because it just makes the film seamless, and enjoyable, and one that you can emotionally connect and empathise with the characters. I think the story told is a common one, avoidance of intimacy but it's done very clumsily. If I were involved in the making of this movie I would consider it a "Learning experience"... If you want to watch a movie that could have been brilliant, but was destroyed by poor screen writing, poor direction, and poor editing, this is the movie for you!

webmaster-3017 From the director of "The Castle" comes a fun, yet important film about a quarter life crisis, the reason for living and how life cannot be measure by how successful you are in your job, the amount of money or your girls scoring record. "Any Questions for Ben?" is one of those well-meaning films that counts and goes the distance in dealing one of the more prominent issues about one's passion, direction and focus in life."Any Questions for Ben?" is a film about an universal issue of the reason for our existence, yet it remains extremely and uniquely Australian in its comedy, approach and Melbourne cityscape. What does it truly means to be successful? I am sure, once in your life, whether you are in your twenties, thirties or even sixties, there will be a clear moment in your life where you question yourself, quite simply, why am I doing this? Sometimes, maybe you only need a moment of inspiration and you can sure of what you have been doing for most of your life is well worth it. For others, it may not be quite so simple, as it may take them time to figure out what it is that they are truly passionate about their lives and what essentially drives them. It is exactly the question and dilemma that faces the main character Ben for the entire film, in fact, it took him exactly two hours running time to finally figure it out.Josh Lawson ("The Wedding Party") is fast becoming one of Australia's hottest up and coming talent, and is perfectly casted as the man that seem to have it all in his hands and destiny. However, Lawson is able to make his character extremely likable and his questions about life seems rather genuine and realistic. There is something about his approach that makes the audience feel as though he truly wants to change and embark on a totally different direction in his life. Likewise, Rachael Taylor ("Transformers") is suitably and contrastingly free-spirited, as Lawson's turning point in life.Director Rob Sitch is at home in depicting the urban life style of trendy Melbourne. His toying of the corporate world within the midst of the marketing trade can relate to a lot of people going about routine aspect of their own lives. The fact that Lawson got everything anyone would wish for in a great career and is still depressed make it all the more interesting. When he is willing to lose everything to start over again, that is the moment when Lawson is able to finally find himself and in the process making the audience question about their own lives and existence. Perhaps the defining scene of the movie is when Lawson is talking about his life story with a hall full of his old school students and not surprisingly no one has any questions for him.All in all, "Any Questions for Ben?" is a good example of how to make a trendy and relevant Australian movie. Director Rob Sitch is able to show how important it is for everyone to question once in a while the reasons for our own existence and ask ourselves what it is that we are truly passionate about. In life, there is never a straight forward answer, sometimes, it requires us to dig deeper to find ourselves. Perhaps in the eyes of others, it is a waste of time, a stale in your career, but for one to life without regrets, there are times, when you just have to pursue it. (Neo 2012) I rated it 8/10 Review at: http://thehkneo.com/blog/?p=2596

demut36 I watched this film in comfortable surrounds. It seemed (from other reviews) to be a likable look at the shiftless, affluent 20-somethings in my, and in every city. What happened is, I wanted to like AQfB much more than in fact I did.It is a slight, and whimsical story about a 20-something executive, named in the title, whose life is free and without commitment. The film is at pains to point out that the event which starts him questioning his life. This event is pointed to, telegraphed and then repeated to the point of saturation.Overall, AQfB was a combination of a badly edited film school project, a surfeit of one-liners looking for a home, and a good first draft for a much shorter film -- which, I believe should have been made.