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Some people never quite figure out what they’re meant to do with their lives—so they just keep trying one thing after another. But as one woman learns in the Australian comedy Seriously Red, sometimes it takes being someone else for a while to figure out who you really are.
Seriously Red finds eccentric property appraiser Raylene “Red” Delaney (Krew Boylan) searching for a little direction in life. Following a humiliating work party, Red loses her job, causing her to contact a talent manager called Teeth (Celeste Barber), who works with celebrity impersonators. Red uses her lifelong love of Dolly Parton to earn herself a gig as a Dolly impersonator, touring with a popular Kenny Rogers impersonator (Daniel Webber). But as she fully immerses herself in her new life as Dolly—and a new relationship with Kenny—she ends up losing herself along the way.
With her blonde wig, her bright makeup, and her over-the-top costumes, this uninspired office worker unleashes something new from within herself. Red is a lovable character who just doesn’t fit into the regular 9-to-5 corporate job. She’s a little lost in the daily routines. She’s outspoken and unconventional—as unruly as her curly red hair. And it’s clear that she’s been made to feel like there’s something wrong with her—especially by her mom (Jean Kittson), who constantly lets Red know what a disappointment and an embarrassment she’s become. She laughs off her daughter’s dreams, assuming that she’ll never really amount to anything.
When Red transforms herself into Dolly, though, something in her changes. She’s no longer uncomfortable and unsure of herself. She’s vibrant and motivated and excited about her future—and it’s refreshing to see the complete change in her outlook. Still, this whole lifestyle feels more than a little uncomfortable. Red ceases to exist. Her new friends—and even her new boyfriend—know her only as a bubbly blonde named Dolly.
Eventually, Red needs to figure herself out. She needs to come to her own conclusions about who she is and where she belongs. And it’s here where the film falters, unsure how to sum it all up. And, without knowing how else to handle Red’s story, it rushes through its conclusion, giving Red her happily-ever-after without really explaining how she got there.
Despite its messy message and glossed-over conclusion, though, Seriously Red is a light and entertaining comedy, loaded with music and over-the-top characters and peppered with inspirational Dollyisms. It’s a spunky and playful little film that just falls a little short of inspiring in the end.
Red shows up in select theaters and on demand beginning on February 10, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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