Dating the Enemy
Dating The Enemy is a 1996 Australian comedy about a recently broken up couple who mystically swap bodies and have to live as each other.
Dating the Enemy | |
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Directed by | Megan Simpson Huberman |
Written by | Megan Simpson Huberman |
Starring | Guy Pearce Claudia Karvan John Howard Matt Day |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
Country | Australia |
Language | English |
Plot
One Valentine's evening a group of single, dateless friends get together to play Trivial Pursuit. Brett (Guy Pearce), a friend of the host from Melbourne, has just landed a job as presenter of a TV gossip show. He is brash and self-confident. Tash (Claudia Karvan) is a science journalist for a national newspaper, studious, intense and self-conscious. They have nothing in common, so naturally they get it together.
A year later and Brett's career is going well, there is the possibility of a job in New York and popularity has gone to his head. Tash is still trying to write serious scientific articles for a paper more interested in gossip and sex and struggling to prevent her articles being buried on page 12. Their relationship is on the rocks. That night during a Valentine's boat trip on Sydney Harbour, an argument ensues and Brett decides he has had enough and ends the relationship. Tash tells him: 'I wish you could be me, so you could see how I feel for once. I wish I could be you, so I could show you what an idiot you've become!'.
That night is a full moon and fate decides to lend a hand. They wake to find that each is in the other's body. A month of each pretending to be the other ensues and they have to learn what it's really like to be in the other person's shoes. Tash has to try to keep Brett's high-profile career on track. Brett is so bored by Tash's job, he ends up trying to make science sexy. Each learns to appreciate the other as only together can they make this enforced predicament work out.
Cast
- Guy Pearce as Brett/Tash
- Claudia Karvan as Tash/Brett
- John Howard as Davis
- Matt Day as Rob
- Lisa Hensley as Laetitia
Production
The film was co-financed by French distributor Pandora Film.
Reception
One review described Dating the Enemy as: "A fast and funny look at relationships in the 90s, the smash-hit romantic comedy 'Dating the Enemy' brings a whole new meaning to the battle of the sexes."[1]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack includes the OMC song "Right On". The original video for "Right On" features clips from the movie.
Box office
Dating The Enemy grossed $2,620,325 at the box office in Australia,[2] which is equivalent to $3,668,455 in 2009 AS dollars.
See also
- It's a Boy Girl Thing, a similar movie
References
- Review
- "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2010.