DANNY DECKCHAIR
Released: July 31, 2003
On July 2, 1982, Larry Walters filled 45 weather balloons with helium and tethered them in four tiers to an aluminum lawn chair he purchased at Sears for $110, loading his makeshift aircraft with a large bottle of soda, milk jugs full of water for ballast, a pellet gun, a portable CB radio, an altimeter and a camera. The pellet gun was to shoot at balloons when he wanted to come down, which was a fine plan - until he dropped the gun. "Danny Deckchair" is partly based on Walters' experience. Based on a true story, the tale of a cement truck driver named Danny (Rhys Ifans), whose long awaited vacation is cancelled thanks to his scheming girlfriend, Trudy. Danny escapes his grim life in suburban Australia and blasts into the skies in a chair tied with helium balloons. A mighty thunderstorm blows him clean off the map, and spits him out far away over the lush green town of Clarence. In this new town, he rockets into the world of Glenda (Miranda Otto), the town's lone parking cop. While the media back home becomes obsessed with the story of his disappearance, Danny gets to reinvent himself in this new town, and in his great adventure, he discovers a true soulmate in Glenda. Wackiness ensues, but the best parts of the movie are the actual moments of Danny's flight. The rest is sweetly date movie material, but done in such a way it's hard not to smile regardless.
100 Minutes
20th Century Fox Australia/Crusader Entertainment/Lions Gate Films