SIAM SUNSET (M). (Southern Star Films/UIP) Director: John Polson Stars: Linus Roache, Danielle Cormack, Roy Billing, Ian Bliss, Alan Brough, Rebecca Hobbs, Robert Menzies, Terry Kenwrick, Deidre Rubenstein, Peter Hosking, Victoria Eagger, Eliza Lowell Running time: 92 minutes.
Despite its poetic title, Siam Sunset is far from a formulaic romantic comedy set in Thailand. Rather, this quirky black comedy, featuring a bus ride through Australia's inhospitable outback, seemingly takes us straight into Welcome To Woop Woop territory. While the surreal, off beat sense of humour is nowhere near as tasteless, Siam Sunset is not a winning, crowd pleasing comedy in the vein of Priscilla, either. This is yet another hit and miss Australian comedy that prefers to travel an off beat path rather than trying to secure easy laughs with a broad, mainstream sensibility. There are a number of chuckles along the way, but genuine laughs are far and few between.
Siam Sunset takes the idea of a deeply troubled man looking for salvation, and marries it with the scenario of the bus tour from hell. Its plot eventually comes across as something of a profusion of ideas from many other films. Writers Max Dann and Andrew Knight (Spotswood, etc) set up a number of wonderfully comic moments, but often fail to deliver the killer punch line. Ultimately, the whole thing is a minor disappointment.
Linus Roache (Priest, etc) is cast as Perry, an industrial chemist for a paint factory, whose mid-life crisis comes early, when his wife is crushed by a falling refrigerator. Perry believes that he is a magnet for bad luck. He also becomes obsessed with searching for an elusive colour - Siam Sunset - which reminds him of his wife's hair. Perry wins a trip to Australia at a local Bingo game, and he reluctantly decides to go, hoping to turn his life around. But disaster follows the cut rate tour, led by the laconic Bill (Roy Billing), who seems to possess as much warmth and charisma as a Rottweiler. The tour picks up an unexpected passenger in Grace (New Zealand actress Danielle Cormack, from Topless Women..., etc), whose car has broken down. Grace is fleeing from her troubled past, and her vicious drug dealing boyfriend Martin (Ian Bliss). Threatened with either testifying against him or going to jail herself Grace did the only honourable thing - lifted his secret wad of cash and headed off for distant parts. Martin follows and joins the bus tour, just as a further series of improbable disasters send it off its predetermined route.
When these hapless travellers become stranded at Eric's Roadhouse way-stop in the middle of nowhere, the dynamic of the group quickly breaks down. Perry and Grace remain above all the petty squabbling as their relationship develops, and the healing process begins for both.
Siam Sunset marks the feature film directorial debut of AFI award winning actor John Polson (The Boys, etc). Polson makes an assured debut here, directing with surprising flair and confidence, and drawing some uncomfortably black humour from this unlikely and increasingly bizarre scenario. Roache delivers a nicely understated and affable performance as the troubled and vulnerable Perry. Cormack brings a vitality to her performance, and makes the most of her role. However, there is no real chemistry or charisma between Roache and Cormack, and their relationship lacks real warmth and credibility. Bliss' intense performance as the brutal Martin brings a nasty, malevolent edge to proceedings that sometimes sits a little uncomfortably with the lighter moments.
Brian Beheny's cinematography is certainly quite spectacular, and he uses the wide screen superbly to capture the harsh but beautiful Australian outback at its best. However, even this technique has become something of a cliché in itself.
Siam Sunset shows potential, but its dry humour sometimes falls flat, and the outrageous sequence of events are not always convincing. This is one sunset that will not please everybody.
**1/2 greg king http://www.netau.com.au/gregking
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