I never thought I would see the day when Cate Blanchett would be imitating Richard Roxburgh playing Cleaver Green. There’s definitely something about a psychotic lesbian on meth on film that makes everything in the world good again.
Our bad boy Cleave is up to his old tricks again. Smoking, drinking, drug snorting and gambling….and that’s just in one night! One very lucky night indeed. Cleave somehow manages to win $160k at the casino and decides to invest it in a new Sydney restaurant. The problem is that the menu is so long winded and the food so upper class that nobody is ever dining there! Cleave just can’t get a break. It’s still so amusing to watch him fall down time after time. Poor Cleave. Watching him suffer is such wonderful television.
Fuzz (Keegan Joyce) is heading over to the Congo with his Jesus loving girlfriend and if Cleave could just find the new house they have moved to he might have been able to say a proper goodbye. Instead he rocks up at their old house, scares the new residence, gets the new address and kisses his ex-wife in front of the ever adorable, doll watching while in the act- Rodger (Martin Sacks). A fist fight ensues that assures Cleave is never welcome in their home again. Rodger won. Pretty good for an osteopath (he’s not just an osteopath you know, he consults too).
Meanwhile Barnet aka Barnyard (Russell Dykstra) has become a touch obsessed with keeping fit after his cancer diagnosis. He wants to run a half marathon.
Some great dialogue is exchanged:
Barn: I’m going for a run
Cleave: What is wrong with you?
Barn: I want to run
Cleave: Who are you? Take the fucking car.
On the other side of the city Cal McGregor (Damien Garvey) has his own television show, spinning lots of right wing rot. Andrew Bolt inspired I’m sure of it. What’s going to happen with Missy (Adrienne Pickering)? Can Scarlett (Danielle Cormack) break up with David (Matt Day) properly? Will Cleave ever be able to be happy? The answer is no, we are going to love watching every second of his road to hell. Paved with great insults and wonderful wit.
Rake airs on ABC1 Sunday 8.30pm
