Coming of age: Heidi, 15, runs away from home after her mom sees her kissing mom's boyfriend. She goes to a Snowy River resort where a vague job offer doesn't pan out. She manages to find a place to live and a job at a convenience store. She's between childhood -- nursery rimes and a scrapbook of glittery unicorns - and adulthood - working, sorting out emotions and sexuality, and dealing with social slights and false charges of bad behavior. She's attractive and her loneliness makes her vulnerable. She sleeps with Joe, the son of local ranchers, and she awakens in him feelings he can't express. Is there any way she can put off adulthood and be a kid awhile longer?
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Somersault (2006)
Movie review by Jay Antani, I.E. Weekly
Rating: FRESH (3/5)
Taking in Somersault's textures--alternating between frosty, pale landscapes and burnt-ochre interiors--along with Cornish's knockout performance, are true pleasures
After getting booted from her home for making out with her mom's boyfriend, lonely and beautiful Heidi (Abbie Cornish) drifts up to an Australian ski resort and gets a job cashiering at a convenience store. Her constant yearning for male attention makes her an easy target, though, for horny, vacationing boys. In the spirit of cinema's long-suffering, abused females, Heidi plugs bravely along in her cruel world till Redemption chances by in the form of Joe (Sam Worthington), the son of wealthy landowners. He's likeable enough, but repressed as hell. And, as much Heidi needs him, Joe's too full of self-loathing and insecurity to return her feelings. Writer-director Cate Shortland gives us two souls searching for love and respect, but without waving that "love conquers all" flag familiar to this genre; Shortland's script is too honest for that. She also crafts an impressionistic style that delicately captures Heidi's lovelorn world. Taking in Somersault's textures--alternating between frosty, pale landscapes and burnt-ochre interiors--along with Cornish's knockout performance, are true pleasures. But a lack of narrative drive saps any vitality Cornish can give her scenes. Shortland finessed and workshopped her script over many years, and the results feel appropriately fussed-over and precious. Where it should've bitten and burned, Shortland's narrative floats airily, to the tune of Heidi's innocent aimlessness, rambling to a close full of convenient reunions and pat lessons.
