Perfect Strangers

In a small town off the coast of New Zealand, Melanie (Rachael Blakejleads a mundane life working in a fast-food shop, almost having given up the dream of finding a decent man. But when a stranger (Sam Neill) walks up to her atthe local bar, she immediately drops her guard and follows him to his boat. However, she soon realizes that this seemingly perfect stranger is not at all what ile first appeared to be
- a man fulfilling every aspect of a classic romantic dream. Instead, it turns out to be a pure nightmare, driven by obsession rather than love. And from there, Perfect Strangers
pays pure homage to genres as diverse as 40's romantica, suspense thriller, classic drama and almost slapstick comedy.
Director Gaylene Preston plays with romantic cliches, presenting a perfectly flowing, unique and fresh appmach to cinema, with a tongue-in-cheek attitude whether romance, suspense or drama is on the menu. There might be no snakes in New Zealand, but this film certainly rattles and twists well enough to avoid getting caught in any existing genre.
MARTIN WEGELAND