Dripping in Chocolate

These kind of films are not normally my thing. However, lockdown makes for strange bedfellows!

Normally films of this genre are toe-curling in their 'sugaryness' and I started to watch some others and lasted about 10 minutes, they were that bad.

This one though was a cut above. It had a decent plot, it didn't have a ditsy female lead, the cop was played by Faramir from Lord the Rings (so he can act) and I found it a pleasant way to fill in a break with a cuppa and a biscuit.

Wenham was excellent as usual. The movie showed Sydney and the south coast at its best, great Rocks locations, wonderful close up views of Harbour Bridge, Lovece's south coast beach house location couldn't be beaten, visually this was a great film. The Sea Cliff Bridge at Coalcliff on the Lawrence Hargrave Drive also looked world class.

However, Louise Lombard drove me insane with her ubiquitous smile which should not be misconstrued as agreement or pleasure, her smile was also used to hide embarrassment, annoyance or disagreement.. it was so obviously false, could someone tell her not to underestimate the audience, we are perceptive and I for one found her omnipresent smiling akin to that of religious fanatics and as such enormously irritating. Other than that she was fine, nice voice, looked good.

No decent chocolatier would lick their finger and then handle the chocolate.

Acting a bit weak. No chemistry between leads. Too long. Production values ok. Sound recording good. Editing ok. Script needed work to tie up loose ends offer false leads. Midway between a weak cop show and a cozy mystery.

An entertaining movie, with flashes of brilliance. The opening sequence was a sensual delight and Lombard was entrancing from go to end. Wenham has his moments. The plot was convoluted enough for the the keenest crime aficionado. The direction was uneven, but overall I had the sense that Joffe was back, but has yet to settle in.

Some of the police behavior did not ring true, but then again, I I guess it was all possible. Set in Sydney and on the road to Wollongong, the film highlighted some parts of NSW that don't normally make it to the movies.

Worth watching if you want a pleasant evening watching an interesting drama, a beautiful mature women, and glimpses of Sydney.