Matching Jack

Review by Anthony Morris

For her first feature film in over a decade, director Nadia Tass (Malcolm, The Big Steal) sets herself a hard task with Matching Jack : a lightweight comedy about children with leukaemia.

Fortunately, pre-teen Jack (Tom Russell) has a pretty good chance of finding a bone marrow donor, thanks to the otherwise dubious blessing of having a father (Richard Roxburgh) who has spent the last fifteen years cheating on his mother with half of Melbourne. 

The numerous scenes where Jack's mother Marissa (Jacinda Barrett) practically goes door-to-door looking for a bone marrow match from her partner's endless liaisons are the source of much of this finely balanced film's humour.

They contrast nicely with those involving Irish sailor Connor (James Nesbitt), whose energetic efforts to raise the spirits of his ill son Finn (Kodi Smit-McPhee) may prove more successful in attracting Marissa's attention.

Matching Jack is a gentle film rather than a hilarious one, but its warm tone goes some way towards smoothing over the occasional clunky moments.

A film this character-driven needs truly stand-out performances to hold it together. Fortunately, both Barrett and Smit-McPhee shine. They guide Matching Jack's sometimes wobbly script safely home.

3 out of 5

Matching Jack
Australian release: 19th August, 2010
Official Site: Matching Jack
Cast: Jacinda Barrett, James Nesbitt, Yvonne Strahovski, Richard Roxburgh, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Director: Nadia Tass