Somersault - Wie Parfum in der Luft (Somersault)
Australia 2004

Opening 19 May 2005

Directed by: Cate Shortland
Writing credits: Cate Shortland
Principal actors: Abbie Cornish, Sam Worthington, Lynette Curran, Erik Thomson, Hollie Andrew

First-time feature film Australian director Cate Shortland brings us a coming-of-age drama starring Abbie Cornish (One Fine Day). The movie has already earned numerous awards and recognitions.

Beginning to discover her own sexuality, Heidi (Cornish) makes a move on her mother's boyfriend and gets caught in the act. Understandably, her mother is upset. The sixteen year old decides to leave home and head for the ski resort of Jindabyne in New South Wales, where she tries to make herself a new life and new friends. She gets a job at a drug store and rents a small apartment from a friendly motel owner. Hanging out at the local night scene, she meets Joe (Sam Worthington), the son of a wealthy farmer, and manages to seduce him quickly enough; but the relationship is erratic and hinders neither of them from experimenting in other areas. It is the motel owner who finally convinces Heidi to contact her mother and go home.

While the cinematography and acting in this movie was good, I can't say I was terribly excited by the story. The opening scenes that lead to Heidi leaving home are brief and hardly reflect a background dramatic enough to explain her attitude towards life and relationships. While it may certainly be representative of a certain segment of our current society, it does not give any real insight into why it is so. Consequently I did not feel much empathy towards the main characters. (Osanna Vaughn)