Siam Sunset

This memorably quirky first feature by actor Polson both benefits and suffers from wild shifts in tone. It embraces everything, from dry humour through surreal weirdness to slapstick violence and warm romance. Widowed by a freak accident involving a skyborne fridge freezer, industrial chemist Roache takes a break from paint mixing to enjoy a bingo prize trip to the outback. Grieving, vulnerable and accident prone, he finds himself on a jalopy with a rude owner-driver and a bunch of crazies. Stranded by a breakdown at a remote roadhouse, his one consolation is sparky optimist Cormack, who's on the run from an unhinged, drug-dealing boyfriend with a wad of his ill-gotten gains. Throughout the film, the chemist experiments with paint mixes, searching for the 'Siam Sunset' which reminds him of his dead wife's hair colour. Polson's approach has a similarly experimental feel, as he flings together diverse genres. More consistent in their tonal range are the ravishing desert compositions and the ambitious orchestral score from respected Oz composer Paul Grabowski.