Sirens

...what was that? Naked women? Lots of naked women? Hi there. I'm writing from a lovely location called the lowest common denominator, and I'm currently taking a close look at Elle MacPherson's... oh, the film, you want me to say something about the film! Oh, alright then...

The Reverend Anthony Campion (Hugh Grant), is travelling with his wife, Estella (Tara Fitzgerald) to his new parish somewhere in the wilds of Australia, but is first asked by the Bishop of Sydney to pay a visit to Norman Lindsay (Sam Neill), a troublesome artist who's submitted some rather, um, interesting pictures to an exhibition, which the church really doesn't like.

When they get there, they find Lindsay and his family living in a very unusual and free sort of community; as well as Lindsay and his immediate family, there are three models in residence, and just about everyone is happily sensual in their everyday lives. Which the repressed English find very threatening at first. The film turns out to be about Estella, as she awakens to her own sexuality, previously held in check, whilst the vicar wanders around being boyish, charming, and often a little naive. The philosophical war between Hugh Grant and Sam Neill rages totteringly, Neill asserting that everyone should be free to feel what they want, whilst Grant maintains the church line, that there are limits and they should be respected - and all the while, Tara Fitzgerald is down at the lake learning a few things she wasn't quite aware of before... (!)

Unfortunately for those who adore Hugh Grant, he's one of the few people in the film who doesn't take his clothes off, (Bummer! - Ed.) but I'm sure he's no less alluring for all that. This is a film that's about far more than just people getting their clothes off; it's funny and a tad thought-provoking too.

Paul Hardy.