Next Door to the Velinsky's

I saw this movie in Australia and was really impressed. The movie was polished and professional, albeit made on a shoestring budget. The producer Chloe Traicos was also the writer and the main lead actor and as such is a very talented person. Its great to see a strong successful female!! The movie touches on sensitive issues and was handled well, in a not too heavy manner, with comedic moments as well. Possibly if the movie brings up issues that some audience members find confronting they could be directed somewhere for follow up. Its not a scary thriller but a thinking person's movie with twists throughout. The cast was strong,script interesting and it kept me involved right to the end. Ruby Taylor, the main character, works as a sales rep in a company and seems to be getting undeserved preferential treatment. Gradually during the course of the movie, the audience finds out the reason why and everything becomes clear with Ah Ha!! All in all an excellent movie from a great up and coming talent.

I really wasn't expecting to like this film. Australian films are not really my thing but this really did keep me interested from the minute it starts. Some parts are confusing - and you need to think about them but on the whole I was pleasantly surprised. Chloe Traicos is magical playing the alcoholic pole dancing abuse victim. Matt Doran - who many may remember as The Matrix Mouse is also brilliant as the male lead. Good performances all round on the whole. But why I liked the film is that it deals closely with the serious issue of child abuse and abuse victims. Parts are sinister. Parts are absolute look away moments but the strong message is there.

Small scale Australian drama concerning telemarketer Ruby (co-writer Traicos) abused as a child being shown how to confront her past by former childhood friend James (Doran). Ultra low budget psychological drama is more like a telemovie in scale and production values, but displays plenty of emotional depth as the pair rekindle their affection amid Ruby's ongoing struggle to reconcile her torrid past.

James has his own demons with which to contend, and when she's not lost in a fantasy world talking to invisible friends, Ruby is ruffling feathers at the local business where a kindly Korean businessman has taken her under his wing (much to the chagrin of his niece who views her colleague's behaviour as detrimental to business growth).

Lack of lighting and shadowy cinematography is sometimes an unwelcome distraction and the makeup applied to Traicos is unusual, but technical issues aside, the story is coherent with a watchable, offbeat performance from Traicos.

Excellent movie. One of the few greats I've seen coming out of Australia. Horrible subject matter but once you adapt the mindset of " This is life. This happens" It is really a beautifully told but very tragic story. Ruby Taylor (Chloe Traicos) - a child abuse victim chooses to run away from her past and forget everything that happened. But her childhood sweetheart James ( Matt Doran) unexpectedly comes into her world forcing her to remember what she's chosen to deny and forget. This film takes disturbing memories to a new extreme - But at the same time what viewers expect to happen doesn't. There are many unpredictable thrills - not to mention the final twist which you really don't see coming. Am looking forward to this getting a cinema release. Wouldn't mind seeing it again

Love love LOVED this movie. Just a beautiful and touching story. While it has been advertised as a psychological thriller - ( and it is that to a certain extent) but it is also a really touching love story and the story of an abuse victim finding herself again. While I utterly disliked the Ruby character at first I found that she does "grow" on you.This could also be Traicos' performance which is incredibly moving. Matt Doran who plays the male lead is fantastic in the role. And while at first I wanted to kill Ruby by half way through the movie I wanted everything to work out which ( And don't read this if you don't want it to be spoiled) but fortunately it does. But it does this realistically not in a silly Holllywood Happy Ending type of way. Am trying to see if its out on DVD yet but doesn't seem to be. Think I might add to my collection. Great movie. Highly recommend