Boundaries of the Heart

SPOILER ALERT! A small dreary film set in a small dreary Aussie town full of friendly but nosy drunks. A fading beauty and her fugitive celebrity father run the only hotel and bar. Her admirers drifted away as the town shrank, leaving only one bitter ex-suitor. Their tiny world is shaken up by the arrival of two outsiders. A woman stays to marry the father, a man can't wait to escape the now desperate beauty's clutches.

The good: this movie is well written, well directed, well acted. Wendy Hughes and John Hargreaves are excellent as usual. The bad: Sort of an Aussie Last Picture Show, but much less interesting visuals and story. Frankly, the subject matter is a downer. The weird: Considering the fact that this tiny town is surrounded by the vast stark beauty of Western Australia, the movie feels claustrophobic. Bottom line: I'd rather watch Sirens again for the "scenery". This one gets a five because Wendy Hughes is always worth watching.