You could be forgiven for thinking that this sounds like a big-screen version of Dawson’s Creek, but nothing could be further from the truth. Australian filmmakers tend to eschew the gloss of their Hollywood counterparts, lending an earthy feel to their productions which drives the schmaltz-meter into the dead zone. The limited budgets and lack of studio involvement also pays dividends in the casting, since filmmakers are free to find the right person for the part instead of having the latest hot property foisted upon them by anxious studio execs.
The major players are therefore perfectly cast, their relative lack of exposure lending a pleasing ring of truth to their portrayals. If this was a major Hollywood production we would probably have been treated to a star turn by Mena Suvari, and that would have been our loss because Pia Miranda plays Josie like she was born to the role. The character calls for a delicate balancing-act, since Josie projects both street-smarts and vulnerability in equal proportions, but Miranda’s open features and expressive vocal delivery ensure she’s never less than convincing. Her natural affability also enables those who have left their