Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageSirens (1994)
Director: John Duigan
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Having discovered sex in his sensitive autobiographical films The Year My Voice Broke and Flirting, Australian director Duigan is at it again with another foray into nonsense and sensuality. Grant is Anthony Campion, a progressive Anglican priest taking up a parish Down Under with his young wife Estella (Fitzgerald). His first duty is to visit the provocative libertarian artist Norman Lindsay (Neill) to dissuade him from exhibiting an erotic religious painting. However, over the course of a languorous weekend in the presence of the painter's uninhibited wife and models, it's prudish Estella who experiences a spiritual and physical conversion. Headily atmospheric, Duigan's film takes place in an outback of 'perpetual tumescence'. It's all very DH Lawrence, and consequently a mite predictable. The picture's strongest suit is Duigan's deft, witty touch, and the confident, classy playing (Grant's familiar stuttering Englishman notwithstanding). Duigan seems to lose his sense of irony entirely, however, when it comes to celebrating the standard soft-core coupling.Author: TCh
Cast & crew
Director: John Duigan
Producer: Sue Milliken
Cast: Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Sam Neill, Elle Macpherson, Portia De Rossi, Kate Fischer, Pamela Rabe, John Duigan full cast
Duration: 95 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Review a Coens' movie and win!
A signed copy of the script for 'A Serious Man' is up for grabs, and we want you to look to your inner film reviewer to win it
Ang Lee talks 'Taking Woodstock'
Ang Lee talks to Tom Huddleston about his tale of the men behind history’s greatest music festival
Roland Emmerich's guide to disaster movies
Ahead of the release of '2012', Roland Emmerich offers his ten tips on creating the perfect global catastrophe
Hippies who work for The Man
To celebrate George Clooney comedy 'The Men who Stare at Goats', we look back at six memorable onscreen hippies who fought the system from within
Sheffield Doc/Fest round-up
Sheffield’s annual Doc/Fest is Britain’s largest documentary festival. Edward Lawrenson learnt a few new things by taking the train north.
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Grant Heslov: interview
Grant Heslov, director of 'The Men who Stare at Goats' talks about his old pal George Clooney, his interest in the paranormal, and his fond memories of working on 'Happy Days'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now