A sweet little movie with great characters and a pleasantly optimistic plot about dealing with grief and life's challenges. Lapaglia is great and the support cast excellent.

I nice little Aussie gem. Americans can learn a lot about sweet movies that you don't gag on.

We saw this great film at Luna Essex several days ago and both of us relished the film; it was superbly completed with an equally superb cast of film experts working at their best in all aspects of movie construction. I should not demean any one of them by mentioning our favourites; however, the actors led by LaPaglia, Julia Blake as Sarah, plus the two Clarkes bring Australian actors centre stage for this marvellous Australian movie.

We were moved by the humanity of this movie; albeit, the plot may stretch the credulity of some viewers but do not worry, it is a simple movie that examines simple life conflicts. The pieces of the plot fit very snugly together and lead to a satisfying completion.

The movie's examination of our life's passages will be reflected in viewer's acknowledgement that these instances are prevalent in the simple act of being alive. Those pieces are manifestly part of the human condition and it was a pleasure to see them handled so gently in this sweet movie.

Real estate agent Frank Mollard (Anthony LaPaglia) can't move on. Divorced but still attached, he can't connect with his teenage son. One night Frank gets a phone call from his mother who died a year ago. This leads him to explore his grief with wise elder, Sarah played by Julia Blake ('Man of Flowers', 'Prisoner', 'Innocence', 'Wolverine').

Set in the leafy suburban streets of picturesque Adelaide, it's a gentle tale of modern life during a real estate boom and of the human connection that makes a house a home. It is really about everything; parents, children, regrets, love, work, grief and ordinary people finding improbable salvation.

Adelaidey-odlians will find it especially poignant because it involves a nostalgic nod to the ¼ acre block with fruit trees that is rapidly being consigned to history. But with the superb cast, it's a very fine film, regardless. LaPaglia (ex-Norwood High School) and Julia Blake (at 79 years) are note perfect in the lead roles.

LaPaglia's real estate agent, Frank, is a sad sack with his rut deeply, sharply cut. All locations are described with his realtor's double-speak, even when he comes home to his Linden Park unit after work; "Needs a little attention, decorator's dream" etc.

Mixed with the serious themes, there's plenty to laugh at in Frank's interactions with his newly successful ex-wife played by Justine Clarke, and in his clumsy interactions with his son and potential home-buyers. His boss is played by ex-Kiwi, the beloved comic John Clarke who inevitably steals all his scenes with hilarious dead-pan contributions. There's also a hearing impaired element to the story which can make this film that rare, rich experience for the deaf community (in its closed caption version) and the wider audience.

With equal parts comedy, tragedy and heart-warming wisdom, writer director Matthew Saville (Tim Winton's 'Cloudstreet', 'Roy Hollsdotter Live' & Chris Lilley films) has created an understated masterpiece to sit alongside great suburban Adelaide films such as 'Travelling Light', 'Return Home' and 'Look Both Ways'. (Snowtown is in another genre!) Cinematographer Mark Wareham throws our streets and backyards onto the big screen with great understanding and skill, so best get yourself secure housing in Adelaide if you can, before the whole world sees this big-hearted film and comes a-bidding.

Andrew Bunney, Let's Go to the Pictures, 9-11 AM Thursday, 3D Radio, Adelaide 937FM, Digital, iTunes