Aussie and the Scotsman - Unfiltered Movie Podcast

Aussie and the Scotsman
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Weekly

You couldn’t find two more different people — from opposite sides of the world — with completely different takes on what’s entertaining, serious, heartfelt, or funny. Rohan (the Aussie from Melbourne) loves his romantic comedies. Rob (the Scotsman from Glasgow) loves his action films. Each week, the boys deep dive into a new movie — unpacking the themes, cast, awards, controversies, and a heap of trivia along the way. They don’t hold back. Sometimes they agree, often they don’t — but it’s always honest, hilarious, and a little bit chaotic. New episodes drop every Saturday. Fifteen years of friendship has led to the birth of Aussie and the Scotsman — two mates, two accents, and one shared obsession with great movies. Strap in. It’s not always pretty, but it’s definitely fun.

  1. 6d ago

    Dirty Dancing

    This week the lads review the 1987 American romantic drama Dirty Dancing, directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Set in the summer of 1963 at a Catskill Mountains resort, it follows seventeen-year-old Baby Houseman as she falls for the resort's dance instructor Johnny Castle — a story of class, first love, and one of the greatest soundtracks ever committed to film.   Before a single frame gets discussed, the episode opens with a bet. The Aussie is convinced the podcast has already covered Schindler's List. The Scotsman is equally convinced it hasn't. A case of beer is staked. A handshake is had. The result is not kind to the Aussie — and the fallout drags on longer than it should.   Then comes the Aussie's story. Restaurant grievances. Cash discounts. Early bird specials. A four-minute missed window that escalates into a full debate about the cashless society, merchant fees, and whether a 15-year-old can legally use a credit card. The Scotsman has strong opinions. The Aussie has strong opinions. Nobody wins.   On the film itself — the Scotsman is watching Dirty Dancing for the very first time, and his verdict is that it is okay. Enjoyable, but disjointed. Good music. Light on substance. The Aussie, on the other hand, is emotional from the opening scene. The sunnies go on. He is giving full Johnny Castle energy and is not ashamed of it.   The Aussie makes the case for the class system running through the film — the Harvard waiters, the staff cabin up the mountain, Patrick Swayze looked down upon while Robbie the doctor gets treated like royalty despite being an absolute prick. The Scotsman concedes the point but is quick to note that none of it is done particularly subtly.   They get into the age gap — Baby is seventeen, Johnny is very much not — and what that looks like through a modern lens. The Scotsman takes it somewhere uncomfortable before pulling it back. The Aussie is horrified.   The soundtrack gets its moment, and rightly so. Thirty-two million copies sold. Arguably the greatest movie soundtrack ever made alongside Grease, The Bodyguard and Saturday Night Fever. The Aussie plays several tracks live on air and is visibly moved. The Scotsman admits the music is the best part of the whole film.   Ratings come in: the Aussie gives it 3.3 out of 5. The Scotsman forgets to rate it but does rate himself and in hindsight gives it a 2/5. Both agree — it is a feel-good film with a killer soundtrack, but if you are reviewing it honestly, the plot is thin and the writing uneven. *"You can watch it a thousand times and your brain can have a rest,"* says the Aussie. The Scotsman calls that the smartest thing said in two hundred episodes.   Trivia rounds things out — the $6 million budget, every studio that passed on it, the final lift being largely unrehearsed, and the deeply sad story of Jennifer Grey and Matthew Broderick's car accident in Northern Ireland just weeks after filming wrapped. One of the great pieces of trivia the podcast has delivered.   The episode closes with both hosts attempting to sing. It is not recommended.   Out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show keep growing. Thanks for the support.

  2. Aug 7

    Sophie's Choice

    This week we are reviewing Sophie’s Choice, the 1982 psychological drama directed by Alan J. Pakula and starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol. A young writer moves into a Brooklyn boarding house and becomes entangled with a volatile couple, slowly uncovering a past shaped by Auschwitz and an impossible decision that defines everything that follows. Before the film even starts, the Scotsman arrives completely unhinged after a 24-hour AI-fuelled spiral, claiming he’s now cloning his voice, building apps, and effectively replacing himself. The Aussie, sensing blood, immediately questions whether the podcast is about to become “Aussie and ChatGPT.” What follows is one of the most chaotic openings the show’s had — manic energy, tech paranoia, and the Scotsman dangerously close to launching a side business mid-episode. Once the film discussion begins, things take a sharp turn. The Scotsman goes in hard early, admitting he dreaded watching it, only to completely flip and call it one of the most powerful performances ever put to screen. The Aussie, on the other hand, never quite shakes the feeling that the first hour drags — a take that immediately puts him on the defensive for the rest of the episode. The central debate becomes less about the film and more about what sits underneath it. The Scotsman pushes the psychological weight of Sophie’s guilt and why she stays in a destructive relationship, arguing it’s about punishment and self-worth. The Aussie leans more literal, focusing on structure and pacing — and gets absolutely hammered for it. The biggest moment, unsurprisingly, is the discussion around the choice itself. Both hosts circle the same question from completely different angles: why that child, and what could possibly go through someone’s mind in that moment? There’s no clean answer, and that’s exactly where the conversation lands — uncomfortable, unresolved, and far more intense than either expected. There’s also a strong clash over Kevin Kline’s performance. The Scotsman reframes what initially looks like overacting into something far more deliberate once the character’s condition is revealed. The Aussie agrees — but not before already writing him off early, which becomes another point of contention. The ending hits hard. The Scotsman reads it as inevitable — two broken people finding the only peace available to them. The Aussie sees it coming but still lands on the same conclusion: there’s no version of this story that ends well. Final ratings split the room completely: The Scotsman: 4.7 / 5 The Aussie: 3.8 / 5 And that gap turns into one final argument about whether the Aussie is missing the deeper layers entirely. The podcast is out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps us be seen among the thousands of other podcasts. Thanks for your support.

  3. Jul 31

    Sexy Beast

    This week the podcast dives into Sexy Beast, the 2000 black comedy crime film directed by Jonathan Glazer (his feature debut) and written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. Starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, and Ian McShane, it follows retired safecracker Gal Dove, whose peaceful Spanish exile is shattered by the arrival of a terrifyingly unhinged gangster demanding one last job in London. The Scotsman loves this one. The dialogue is razor sharp, and he’s fully in his Cockney element. The Aussie doesn’t stand a chance. There’s a Cockney quiz. There’s a dramatic reading of the film’s dialogue. There’s a running tally of how many times the Scotsman, channeling Ben Kingsley, calls the Aussie “his chubby little friend.” It’s relentless. The return of the fruit platter — because they watched it together — becomes comedy gold in itself. The Aussie makes the bold claim that the Scotsman has never stepped foot inside Subway. Tensions rise. Chas & Dave’s Snooker Loopy gets airtime. Any mention of snooker means Jeremy appears again. Singing follows. Naturally. Cockney rhyming slang flies around: “trouble and strife,” “dog and bone,” “Barnet Fair,” “butcher’s hook,” and “Adam and Eve” all make their way into full sentences. The Scotsman draws links to the unseen menace in Jaws and Duel, and even the word “Don” sends the studio into hysterics. They discuss the film’s Foley artistry, indulge in a bit of scene acting, and revel in just how controlled and theatrical Kingsley’s performance is. A trivia nugget surfaces: Ben Kingsley won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for The Words of Gandhi, following his Oscar-winning role in Gandhi. A fact delivered with surprising reverence before things descend again. Rohan Reminisces? Chaos. He chooses 2002 instead of 2000. Basic calendar error. He recovers slightly by discussing the hottest day of the year but still manages what might be the biggest faux pas of the season. A generous 7/10 this week. If you have to rent this film, it’s worth every cent. The dialogue alone is admission price. The podcast is available now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe or follow — it helps the show get seen. Thanks for listening.

  4. Jul 24

    Ghandi

    This week we are reviewing the 1982 biographical epic Gandhi — directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, written by John Briley, and featuring one of the greatest performances ever committed to film by Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi. The film covers Gandhi's extraordinary life from a defining moment in 1893 — being thrown off a train in the Colony of Natal for sitting in a whites-only compartment — right through to his assassination and funeral in 1948. It is the story of one man's mission to lead India to independence from the British Empire through non-violent resistance, and it is absolutely towering cinema. We kick things off with a bit of Frank Sinatra and Rudyard Kipling's poem 'If' before we get into it. The Aussie comes out swinging from the start — he is in the best form he has ever been on the podcast and absolutely rips into the Scotsman for a boring story. It is the funniest takedown we have had in a while and a sign of things to come. The Scotsman's mission this week was to get the Aussie to see Sir Ben Kingsley in the most extreme contrast imaginable — from the terrifying, unhinged Don Logan in Sexy Beast to the gentle, transcendent Gandhi. It is about as far apart as two performances can be. He could make that leap. And then some. The Aussie not only loved Gandhi — he dominated the entire episode. Thoughtful, articulate, full of insight and understanding — he gave the Scotsman a well-earned break from doing all the heavy lifting. The Aussie has been driving his wife mad quoting Gandhi all week, claims he has been "so chilled out" since watching it, and even watched it on a bigger screen. That is the Gandhi effect. The Scotsman gets pressed on the big question — does he love or hate the English? It is a fair question given the subject matter and one he cannot dodge. Scores are high across the board. This is a long one and every minute of it is worth your time. Out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show keep growing. Thanks for the support.

  5. Jul 17

    Legends of the Fall

    This week we are reviewing the 1994 American epic historical Western drama Legends of the Fall, directed by Edward Zwick and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond and Henry Thomas. Based on the 1979 novella by Jim Harrison, the film follows three brothers and their father living in the wilderness and plains of Montana in the early 20th century — and how their lives are shaped by nature, history, war and love. The timeframe spans nearly 50 years, from World War I through the Prohibition era and into a brief final scene set in 1963. We kick things off with a travel story — and this one does not end well for a small boy who performs a good deed and receives a pocket lolly from the Aussie as a reward. A pocket lolly. Fluff and all. The Scotsman is disgusted. And he is already feeling sick — because this week introduces a brand new segment. Rob's Rant. A one-off, five-minute monologue. No interruptions. Scathing, unfiltered, and delivered with the full force of a man who cannot believe this film was brought to the podcast. The Scotsman gives Legends of the Fall the lowest rating in the history of the show. He is furious. Hold on to your cowboy hats. Before the rant, he shares a story about a family faux pas — and that is what tips him over the edge. The Aussie is heartbroken. His genuine joy when the Scotsman reveals he has not seen the film is one of the highlights of the episode — and it is shattered almost immediately. The pain is palpable. The Aussie tries to mount his defence, but every attempt is met with the Scotsman hammering back: "defend it, defend it, defend it" — a callback to the Aussie's own interrogation tactics during the Duel episode. We try to get to the root of the Aussie's deep, lifelong love of this film. And he tells us. It is Brad. It has always been Brad. Brad on a horse. Brad on a horse. Brad on a horse. He is dreamy. "Did you miss out on romance growing up?" asks the Scotsman. "Is that a serious question?" replies the Aussie, genuinely surprised. It takes a full 37 minutes before the Aussie finally removes the rose-coloured glasses and admits what this film really is — Brad Pitt's vehicle to superstardom. Nothing more, nothing less. Rohan Reminisces takes us back to 1994 — a decent segment this week, with some genuinely fun facts. The Aussie then surprises everyone with a brilliant Jim Carrey impression, before immediately going bashful and refusing to continue. The Scotsman steps in as director: "take a beat," he instructs. The Aussie has absolutely no idea what that means. There is also singing. And crying. Crying and singing. Out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show keep growing. Thanks for the support.

  6. Jul 10

    Anora

    This week the lads review Anora, the 2024 American romantic comedy-drama written, directed, produced and edited by Sean Baker. The film stars Mikey Madison as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, a New York lap dancer who impulsively marries the wealthy son of a Russian oligarch, played by Mark Eydelshteyn. Supporting performances from Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, and Aleksei Serebryakov round out a film that swept awards in 2024. Both hosts loved it. Properly loved it. A genuine cracker. The Aussie finally brings a decent opening story — which immediately triggers the Scotsman to ask the logical question: what’s the succession plan for the podcast if one of them meets their maker? From there, things drift into strip clubs past and present (the Aussie goes slightly bashful), and a shout-out to American listeners — roughly 25% of the audience tuning in from the States. When they finally get into the film, it’s detailed and thoughtful — until the Aussie corrects the Scotsman one time too many. Was it “kicked” or “punched” in the face? Does it matter? Apparently it does. The Scotsman flips. Flow ruined. A firm declaration follows: no more interruptions. Ever. There’s a strong debate about the meaning of the ending — two very different interpretations. At one point the Aussie tells the Scotsman, “That’s your best 90 seconds in 200 episodes.” Want to know why? You’ll have to listen. Rohan Reminisces takes us back through 2024 — including Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, and Poor Things — alongside the major global headlines of the year, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The Scotsman isn’t firing on all cylinders this week and misses a few quiz questions. He also pulls out Russian and Italian accents, then demands to know why that doesn’t make him a racist. The pronunciation of “pho” somehow becomes another battleground. The podcast is out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please click subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps us be seen among the thousands of other podcasts.

  7. Jul 3

    Scarface

    This week the podcast revisits Scarface, the 1983 crime epic directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone. A remake of the 1932 original, it stars Al Pacino as Cuban refugee Tony Montana, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira Hancock and Steven Bauer as Manny Ribera. Arriving in Miami during the Mariel boatlift, Tony claws his way from dishwasher to cocaine kingpin through ambition, violence and pure ego. As the empire grows, so does the paranoia. Addiction, pride and distrust burn every bridge in sight, building to one of cinema’s most operatic downfalls. And then the shock. A 5/5 from the Aussie. Rare air. First one of the year. Before they get to the film, there’s another travel story. The Aussie meets up with Chris, the independent airport driver again, and appears to be paying way over the odds, but apparently, he can afford it. He also bumps into Stan Wawrinka at the airport, causes mild chaos by acknowledging him publicly, and that opens the floodgates to name-dropping: Tiger Woods, Shane Warne, Nadia Bartel, Clayton Oliver, Eddie Betts and Heather Graham. The debate quickly shifts to whether celebrities are public property. The Scotsman counters with a far less glamorous update: his heating and cooling unit has died and it’s going to cost a fortune. And he asks if he can borrow some money from the Aussie. Once the intro dust settles, the Scotsman waits for the verdict on the movie. Drum roll. The Aussie "absolutely loves it" and breaks down why. The discussion goes deep. This film earns the time. They dissect the final scene and inevitably act out the immortal line "say hello to my little friend". The Scotsman tells the story slightly wrong. The Aussie corrects him.  Rohan Reminisces takes us back to 1983. The Scotsman demands better questions next week. They touch on Cheers, favourite cast members, Trading Places, Risky Business and the Aussie sings "Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance. You may need earplugs. Then the biggest shock in 225 episodes: the Scotsman forgets to prepare trivia. The Aussie goes low with "are you embarrassed and going to have a cry". No tears. Professional recovery. Comes back swinging. The episode is out now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy it, hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show stand out among the many movie podcasts out there. Thanks for tuning in.

  8. Jul 3

    Brothers

    This week on Aussie and the Scotsman, the lads take on Brothers (2009), the American psychological thriller directed by Jim Sheridan starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard, Clifton Collins Jr., and Mare Winningham. SPOILER ALERT - Watch before listening. This is an absolute must watch The film follows Captain Sam Cahill (Maguire), a US Marine. It’s heavy, confronting, and — according to the Aussie — essential viewing. “Watch this before listening,” he insists. “It’ll shake you to your soul.” The episode opens with the Aussie calling the Scotsman his brother, while the Scotsman is already deep in complaint mode — this time about parking meters. The Aussie, once again, arrives with “no stories,” which pushes the Scotsman to the brink… until a surprising revelation about how much the Aussie’s kids can bench press. Things escalate when the Aussie declares himself the Tobey Maguire of the friendship — a man of honour — and makes it abundantly clear that the Scotsman is not. A brief detour into the Scotsman’s former life as a daddy blogger (yes, adadslife.com.au gets dragged up) threatens to derail the episode entirely. The big moral questions raised by Brothers take centre stage — guilt, loyalty, trauma, and what honour really means. And then there’s Rohan Reminisces. Set in 2007, it collapses in real time when the Aussie abandons the segment mid-flow to search for a song on his phone, ask for wiring, and destroy what little structure remained. The Scotsman issues a final ultimatum over the complete lack of preparation. For the first time ever, Rohan Reminisces is shut down early — leaving the Scotsman in a spiral of despair and the Aussie largely unfazed. The podcast is out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps us cut through the noise. Thanks for your support.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

You couldn’t find two more different people — from opposite sides of the world — with completely different takes on what’s entertaining, serious, heartfelt, or funny. Rohan (the Aussie from Melbourne) loves his romantic comedies. Rob (the Scotsman from Glasgow) loves his action films. Each week, the boys deep dive into a new movie — unpacking the themes, cast, awards, controversies, and a heap of trivia along the way. They don’t hold back. Sometimes they agree, often they don’t — but it’s always honest, hilarious, and a little bit chaotic. New episodes drop every Saturday. Fifteen years of friendship has led to the birth of Aussie and the Scotsman — two mates, two accents, and one shared obsession with great movies. Strap in. It’s not always pretty, but it’s definitely fun.

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