Love Serenade

This movie is a little gem in which all the odd ingredients come together to form a surprisingly spot-on depiction of Australian life for a large percentage of the population. It scores big points for depicting life in the fairly unglamorous and largely forgotten country towns. The two sisters, especially the Rebecca Frith character (why this movie didn't make her a superstar is a shock to me) are spot on. But where this movie makes the leap from good Aussie flick to comic gem is its lack of fear in being strange. I won't spoil the many surprising treats by giving any of them away here but I will say that if you're a fan of Preston Sturges, this movie is his unlikely Aussie bastard child.

There are some films that seem to go so deep, they should just be allowed to go on and on. Their light is so bright they seem to compete with nature itself - they uplift and enlighten. Love Serenade, with it's repetitive Barry White underscore, its dead-on "this is not an act" performances and above all it's eccentric, unforeseen dialogue, plot and visuals has been added to my list of all-time bests. There's so much to learn here about art.

"Love Serenade" is a quirky and original film. I'm reminded of Pauline Kael's remark about "Passport to Pimlico" - "comedy with a fine flavour." I'd never heard of this and only rented it because of a recommendation by David Stratton on the cover. And I'm glad I got it out - it's been years since I liked a film this much. It's generally quiet, but its off-kilter humour is really very funny, and its observations about the sexes are poignant and even disturbing. The soundtrack is a key factor; it's a great collection of smooth seventies soul tracks, but they're used ironically, and you feel a little guilty for enjoying them so much. The performances are really fine, too. In all it's a wonderful film and it needs to be seen.

As a counter to the negative comments elsewhere re this film - I found it extremely funny. Although I should note that I'm from country Australia where this is based - so it's not surprising that people from elsewhere might not appreciate the humour eg. references to the "excitement of Brisbane."

However if you grew up having picnics in windswept Rotary parks, riding about dusty streets and choosing between the ABC and one other channel, this is definitely worth a look. Miranda Otto as Dimity is solid enough, but the character of Ken Sherry makes the film - a reptilian, tai chi following, Hawaiian shirt wearing DJ that will make you cringe with laughter throughout.

I loved this movie. The characters were well-written; the acting was terrific. And the ending was unpredictable (unlike most movies made in the US) and, for me, highly satisfying. It reminded me slightly of Jane Campion's early work, but with a quirky sense of humor. I highly recommend this movie to those who enjoy a good low-key foreign comedy.