Overshadowed during its release by the tragic death of a stuntman Collin Dragsbaek during production, Love Serenade rises as a refreshing, observation rich film about despairing souls that happen to come together in "Sunray" a fictional country town. A town like so many real ones in Australia that manage to have a forlorn charm that shines through isolation and solitude. Love Serenade manages to sensitively capture this intangible quality to cradle its story within.

The title "Love Serenade' may have done some damage to its success as it could to easily have pigeoned holed it as a emotion saturated "chick flick". Ironically, once you know the film the title is perfect.

Essentially the film seems to be about the seductive power of persona fueled by the material mediums associated with it, in this case it's a 40 something DJ and his melodic 70's playlist. Within this entrapment all is normal and comfortable with the victim, but for the observer, in this case us the viewer, there are alarm bells and sirens going off everywhere.

DJ Ken Sherry represents what the mass media machine eventually spits out, burnt out celebrity that have been superseded by a new stock. To unfashionable to be seriously employed and to active to be retired these cast offs gravitate to anywhere that still attaches notions of greatness to there foundering media statue. George Shevtsov slips into the roll of the sleazy veteran DJ like a duck to water. His astonishing performance manages to contrive a personality that can only be described as revoltingly charming. Drawing on a a wealth of DJ streetwise experience "Ken Sherry" has an an opportunistic toy about with the misguided adoration of two local sisters. The resulting personality confrontations and moral diversities therein carries the film to its daring strange then stranger end.

Brilliantly written and directed by Shirley Barrett 'Love Serenade' is a great example of one persons vision being crafted and produced by a competent team that have taken on a singular vision. Its curious "fish" diversions and irratic surreal moments will have a large audience drop off, leaving a faithful few that will love it forever.

10/10

In the backwaters of Australia, sisters naive Dimity Hurley (Miranda Otto) and older obsessive Vicki-Ann Hurley (Rebecca Frith) compete for an older creakily radio station DJ Ken Sherry. He's not pretty but the disconnected poetry spouting thrice divorced man is new in town.

The sisters' relationship and their fascination with this man drive this movie. The movie is spiced up with good music. It's strangely compelling and fun. It's an odd little indie from down under.

Two lonely sisters both take a shining to a Brisbane disc jockey who moves next door after relocating to their small country town in this unusual Australian comedy. Miranda Otto plays the younger, shier and more socially awkward sister, while Rebecca Firth is the older and more assertive one, with the film often attempting to derive laughs from Firth constantly calling Otto odd while oblivious to just how strange her own obsession with her new neighbour is. For the most part though, 'Love Serenade' is light on funny moments. There is some nifty fish symbolism with a highlight being a segment in which a fish hanging on the man's wall begins to shake from vibrations, appearing to come to life, but there is never too much fun to be had in how he irresponsibly lets the two sisters seduce him, manipulating their emotions for his own desires. In fact, coupled against the tiresome arguing between the sisters, this is one of those films in which none of the characters are particularly likable. That said, the film goes in some very interesting directions in the final ten to fifteen minutes, with the bond between the sisters unexpectedly strengthened on account of an unexpected twist. The film in fact concludes on a very high note, but it takes such a long time to arrive there that this is a difficult experience to recommend unless one is prepared to be patient.