Starring Jimeoin and Alan McKee. Rated M.

The Craic (pronounced crack) is a distinctly Irish term that has many meanings and usages. "How's the craic?" -- how are you? "The craic was 90" -- we had a great time. "You're great craic" -- you're a swell kinda guy. "I'm going down the pub for some craic" - usually involves drink, music, talk and a great time.

In this case, The Craic is little more than a fun name for a very funny movie. A typical Irish colloquialism to describe a scrip by a very funny a-typical Irishman.

The Craic tells the story of two mates forced to skip the bleak shores of their native Emerald Isle after an encounter with an IRA thug and end up in "not Northern Ireland" (Sydney). But, even this safe haven turns sour when emigration authorities start sniffing around.

What do two young Irish backpackers do when their visas run out?

Well, one enters a TV dating show, The Meet Market, to find a nice young Sheila to marry while the other has a narrow escape from the emigration agents, wearing only his white Y-fronts, and makes a dash for the anonymity of Bondi Beach.

All this is early in the movie, setting the scene for an hilarious romp through the wide brown land, as seen through the eyes of Jimeoin. All the good Aussie icons get rolled out for a fresh look -- illegal-emigrant fruit pickers, surfing, cane toads, pumpkin (or in this case, rock melon) scones, Combi vans, kangaroos, emus and aboriginals.

Look, its not easy to describe this movie and still portray the genuine humour of it. Just recall the last time you saw Jimeoin live. You sat through 90 minutes or so of side- and jaw-splitting laughter. And what did he actually talk about? Coat hangers, tin openers, cockroaches -- in fact, all the very mundane things of everyday life. But, looked at through the eyes of Jimeoin, these things take on a whole new life of their own.

The Craic is not quite as funny as his stage show, but the audience I sat through it with, laughed out loud, long and hard. It looks at the mundane things of everyday Aussie life through, not only Irish eyes, but through Jimeoin's. What more can I say? Proof is in the pudding. So, do yourself a favour.

The Craic, according to statistics I have seen published elsewhere, is listed the number three Aussie movie, ranked by box-office takings on its first weekend, behind Muriel and Dundee II.

The M rating covers a half dozen swear words but my kids loved it.