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The Castle

Play trailer Poster for The Castle R Released Apr 10, 1997 1h 25m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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87% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The quirky Kerrigan family lives together in a makeshift home they built themselves -- with great pride and a bizarre attention to detail -- a few yards from the edge of Melbourne, Australia's busy Tullamarine Airport. When a building inspector condemns the building and reveals that the government plans to use their land for an airport expansion, Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) and his brood recruit hack attorney Dennis Denuto (Tiriel Mora) and prepare themselves for the fight of their lives.
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The Castle

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Critics Consensus

Home is where the heart is in The Castle, a rousing Australian comedy that gives audiences an endearing family to root for.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek While it obviously struck a deep chord in its homeland, here it's not much more than a light tap on the funny bone. The irrepressibly tacky Kerrigans make an amusing first impression, but the movie essentially has only one joke to offer. Nov 10, 2008 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The Castle, directed by Rob Sitch, is one of those comic treasures like The Full Monty and Waking Ned Devine that shows its characters in the full bloom of glorious eccentricity. Rated: 3/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) This timeless comic snapshot of suburban life Down Under remains absolutely un-budgeable from its perch as the most widely adored (and quoted) Australian film of all-time. Rated: 4.5/5 Apr 21, 2020 Full Review Matt Neal ABC Radio (Australia) The greatest Australian film of all time. Rated: 5/5 Feb 4, 2020 Full Review Keeva Stratton Rescu (Australia) You can't help but fall in love. Sep 15, 2017 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 3/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ed . I laughed and I cried. For real. This movie didn't expand my vocabulary except for a couple of Australianisms but it did remind me of the important things in life that I usually take for granted. This family showed more love and happiness than do most families with far more financial wealth (and most families of all income brackets) and did so with grace and loads of humor. A bonus was my surprise to discover that the Queens Counsel, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, is the same actor who portrayed the inspector in the Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple movies way back in the 1960s. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/29/25 Full Review Will J This has got to be one of the funniest movies ever. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/27/25 Full Review Les N Predictable but worth a watch Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/23/25 Full Review Darcy J Boring, cringey, and you hate every character. The story is boring and unentertaining. I wouldn't waste your time on this flat, unfunny mess. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/21/25 Full Review Laze T NO did not like...... Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/23/25 Full Review Megan C One of my favorite movies of all time. A must see! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/21/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Rob Sitch

Director

Michael Caton

Darryl Kerrigan

Anne Tenney

Sal Kerrigan

Stephen Curry

Dale Kerrigan

Sophie Lee

Tracy Kerrigan

Anthony Simcoe

Steve Kerrigan

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The Castle

The Castle (1997) The Castle (1997) The Castle (1997) The Castle (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The quirky Kerrigan family lives together in a makeshift home they built themselves -- with great pride and a bizarre attention to detail -- a few yards from the edge of Melbourne, Australia's busy Tullamarine Airport. When a building inspector condemns the building and reveals that the government plans to use their land for an airport expansion, Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) and his brood recruit hack attorney Dennis Denuto (Tiriel Mora) and prepare themselves for the fight of their lives.
Director
Rob Sitch
Producer
Debra Choate
Screenwriter
Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, Rob Sitch
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Miramax
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 10, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$861.8K
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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