Leon Ford's "Griff the Invisible," Australia's answer to the superheroes-in-the-real-world approach popular in the United States, is an interesting little low-budget romantic comedy masquerading as a superhero flick. Some people may be turned off by the apparent lack of superhero action in this film, but as the ending of "Griff the Invisible" proves, it's the "reality" of what goes on that counts.

Griff (Ryan Kwanten) is a socially awkward office employee by day, and a not-so-anonymous superhero called "Griff" by night. He prowls the streets of his local neighborhood fighting crime. At the office, he's the target of the office bully, and Griff takes to sneaking in the office at night to set up booby traps to pull off the next day.

Griff's older brother Tim (Patrick Brammall) has recently begun dating the equally socially awkward Melody (Maeve Dermody). Melody is a budding young scientist obsessed with trying to unlock the secrets to inter-dimensional travel. In Griff, she finds a kindred spirit, which proves problematic for her current relationship with his brother.

"Griff the Invisible" is a competently acted little superhero film. One thing that may kill the experience, however, is a third-act twist that lends further credence to a commonly-held belief about the supposed mental instability of people who try to be real-life superheroes. This is unfortunate, because it's firmly established that Griff is far from "normal," but we seem to sympathize him, his relationship with Melody and his mission to save the world, but we also understand that there is nothing wrong with being "weird." Griff and Melody are perfect for each other because they're so "weird" and don't have to worry about being "normal" (like everybody else).

"Griff the Invisible" takes the whole superheroes-in-the-real-world to a level not previously seen in other films dealing with the subject (like "Kick-Ass" or "Super"). It's a flawed movie, but don't let its flaws kill your enjoyment of it.

7/10

Griff (Ryan Kwanten) is a doormat at his place of employment. One co-worker in particular bullies him and piles a great deal of his work onto Griff. But, at night, Griff gets some revenge. This affable but quiet young adult man dresses up in a homemade superhero costume and chases the bad guys away from his immediate neighborhood. Very clever, Griff has hooked up a viewing system to see crimes outside his building and, when needed, he swoops in. You'd have to think that the perps are surprised at his actions but they usually stop and run. Of course, this does not really sit well with the local police force. In fact, they hang posters up looking for the loner hero. Even Griff's handsome brother Tim comes to live in the same town, to keep an eye on his odd sibling. One day, Tim happens to meet a lovely lady, Melody (Maeve Dermody) and, after one date, he tells Griff that she is THE ONE. Yet, Maeve is not certain, being a bit unusual herself and still living at home. Lo and behold, when Tim brings Melody to Griff's apartment for a how-do-you-do, Melody almost instantly prefers Griff, making for big problems ahead. Never having head a real romance, will Griff respond to Melody's charms, and, hurt his own brother? Will G give up his superhero acts? This is quite an unusual film from Australia but rather enjoyable for those who like things a bit different. The viewer doesn't truly understand how, even with a costume, Griff stops crime or that when he claims to be invisible, he is still in plain sight. Yet, it doesn't matter. No one in the States will recognize the actors at this point but they are all fine. Sets, costumes, a winning script and an amusing direction make this a fun little indie. If you can see from this description that it might suit you, go get Griff.

For every Batman out there, who's got gobs of money and gadgets galore to do his crime fighting for him, how many other self-anointed superheroes make do with homemade costumes and gadgets that can be pieced together with plunder from the local hardware store? That's the question "Griff the Invisible" poses at its start, introducing us to a quiet, painfully shy office worker who takes the law into his own hands when the sun goes down. But what at first seems like it's going to be a quirky riff on the superhero formula goes in surprising, and surprisingly serious, directions, and gives us instead a movie about what it means to be normal in a world that can be anything but.

Ryan Kwanten buries his natural good looks under a socially awkward persona and gives a sweet, painful performance as Griff. He plays Griff rather like a benign version of Travis Bickle, Robert De Niro's uber-scary character in "Taxi Driver," an unassuming guy who's completely out of touch with the world around him and goes home at night to entertain fantasies about being the hero in the drama of his own making.

Of course "Taxi Driver" goes into far darker places than "Griff the Invisible," and that's actually one of the things I didn't like about the latter movie. Griff's adherence to a fantasy world isn't healthy and shouldn't really be humored as his girlfriend suggests it should. How long before illusion and reality blur in the head of someone like that, with who knows what kinds of consequences? But the movie isn't interested in discussing that particular question at any length, which makes for a happier, sweeter ending, if a somewhat dishonest one.

Grade: A-