Adapted from screenwriter Joanna Weinberg’s stage play Sinksongs, this Mark Lamprell musical Goddess begins with a swooping shot of our leading lady Elspeth Dickens, imitating The Sound of Music as she runs through the fields. A nod, instantly, to one of the films that illuminate the genre – though it also works as a slight reminder that this nonsensical piece merely pales in comparison.
Elspeth (Laura Michelle Kelly) is a dedicated stay-at-home mother to her two young boys, almost single-handedly raising the troublesome duo while her husband James (Ronan Keating) works away from home. To keep herself entertained, she sets up a webcam in her kitchen, broadcasting her when cooking, cleaning – and singing. As more and more visitors tune in, her reputation builds and career opportunities come her way. Suddenly the tables are turned, as she prepares to set off for work, and James returns home to look after the kids.
There’s a genial, amicable tone to this picture, particularly early on – with a charm of sorts that alludes to what should be harmless, watchable fun. Yet the further we progress through this tale and the more illusory the narratives becomes, Goddess becomes somewhat unbearable at times. Lamprell is evidently struggling to agree on a tone, as the elementary humour and cheap, immature gags – like when they all laugh at Keating’s fart – makes this seem rather juvenile, with a feeling of a children’s TV show. Yet the themes explored, and occasional use of expletives, would imply this is aimed at an older audience.
It just becomes so cheesy and mawkish, with an ending that barely feels real. Though conversely, when there are big, dramatic sequences, they feel played down – making for a film that is both underwhelming, and unsubtle at the same time. The music is mediocre too, and given the nature of this piece, that proves to be somewhat of a problem. As a result, it’s difficult to believe in Elspeth’s dramatic rise to fame. Even if the songs were quite good, she’s just singing in the kitchen. These days on the internet, you’ve either got to be a cat, or somebody falling off a skateboard to attain such notoriety, and it’s therefore a challenge to invest in this picture given how hard that aspect is to believe in. In a similar vein to The Truman Show, we cut between various people from different walks of life, settling in for the night to watch her live broadcast. People in the park, just having a laugh with their mates and watching parents cook dinner for their kids on the internet. Nah.
The one shining light in this film is the performance of Kelly, who has an infectious optimism and outlook on life (Keating isn’t half bad, either). She is representative of a film that doesn’t take itself seriously at all. As such there will be an audience for this – perhaps those in a similar position to our protagonist may be able to relate to this tale, struggling with the pressures of motherhood. It’s an audience often ignored in cinema, so this certainly has a place – even if the finished product is a little underwhelming, to say the least.
[Rating:2/5]
