Love Serenade (1996)

So I wanted to watch an early film of Miranda Otto's and came across this one from 1996. It had a really good pedigree, winning the Caméra d'Or at Cannes that year, so I settled down.

It follows (at a slow pace), a three-times divorced radio DJ ("Ken Sherry", unabashed Barry White fan) who moves to a small rural town in Australia. He moves in next door to sisters who vie for his affections - the elder is quite desperate (protesting frequently that she is not) after her fiance was killed by a chainsaw accident; and the younger (Otto) is ... strange ... and eventually thinks that Sherry might be part fish.

At the end of the movie, I just dont know what to make of it.

It is bizarre, but beautifully shot (the cinematography is perfect);

Slow paced, but enticing (the direction is outstanding);

Off-putting and downright creepy at times (Im looking at you first seduction scene), but you feel for both women;

And Otto is perfect (adding small quirks and mannerisms to every second her character is on screen that another actor would not have put in).

Add an ending that is both strange and satisfying and you have this weird conglomeration of a movie.


I dont know whether to love or loathe this film (so Ive split it down the middle - 3 stars).