Overview
A family's fight for their home becomes a battle against authority and bureaucracy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- deadpan
- eccentric
- warm
- lazy sunday
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrate the film as a rousing, deadpan Australian comedy with an affectionate family at its heart and a satisfying underdog appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Kerrigans challenge government and airport authorities attempting to take their home for airport-related expansion.
The family's distinctive habits and worldview are delivered through affectionate, understated comic performances.
Darryl Kerrigan's family takes its housing dispute from local authorities to the High Court.
The Kerrigans' beloved house is treated as the center of their family history and happiness, not merely as property.
Films like The Castle, and why
The Full Monty
warm underdog comedy, working-class family solidarity, and an affectionate ensemble of eccentric characters
Waking Ned Devine
feel-good comedy, community resistance, and deadpan eccentricity surrounding an ordinary family crisis
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
populist courtroom struggle, sincere sentiment, and a determined ordinary protagonist confronting powerful institutions
Brassed Off
working-class humor, family loyalty, and a rousing fight against bureaucratic and economic pressure
Movie Details
- Director
- Rob Sitch
- Release Date
- 1997-04-10
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (243)
Cast
- Michael Caton
- Anne Tenney
- Stephen Curry
- Anthony Simcoe
- Sophie Lee
- Wayne Hope
- Tiriel Mora
- Eric Bana
- Charles Tingwell
- Robyn Nevin
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Castle about?
- A proudly eccentric Melbourne family turns a fight to save its home from airport expansion into an endearing legal battle against institutional power.
- What is The Castle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Castle as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Castle violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Castle as mild.
- What did critics think of The Castle?
- Critics broadly celebrate the film as a rousing, deadpan Australian comedy with an affectionate family at its heart and a satisfying underdog appeal.
- Which films are like The Castle?
- Films with a similar feel include The Full Monty, Waking Ned Devine, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Brassed Off.
- How long is The Castle?
- The Castle runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Castle?
- In United States, The Castle is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube.
