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One Perfect Day Director: Paul Currie Rated: M 
Shot partly in the UK but mostly in Australia, ‘One Perfect Day’ is a rather unusual film: an Australian-made dance movie. Its protagonist is young classically-trained Australian musician Tommy Matisse (Dan Spielman), who is constantly looking for innovative ways to make music. Tommy’s search can go to some pretty extreme lengths (as evidenced by the opening scene, which sees him lying between railway lines and letting a train go over him, just so that he can record the sound of it happening), and unfortunately his efforts are not appreciated by his educators at the English music school he is attending. Back home, Tommy’s younger sister, Emma (Abbie Cornish), appears to be having some serious problems. In an effort to gain some respite, she and Tommy’s girlfriend, Alysse (Leeanna Walsman), go clubbing and buy some drugs from the friendly neighbourhood drug dealer, the genuinely likeable Trig (Nathan Phillips). Unfortunately, Emma takes something much more potent than she was expecting, and dies of an overdose (with what she sees while tripping portrayed in rather amusing fashion). Returning home at the news of her death, a distraught Tommy is surprised to find out that his sister had a passion for making dance music. This discovery moves him to direct his talents towards electronic music himself - both composing it and DJing - and as he travels further down this path, he realises that techno gives him the perfect opportunity to indulge in his passion for experimentation. Added interest is provided by various dramas involving Alysse, as well as Hector Lee (British actor Anthony Howard): the drug supplier whose product was responsible for Emma’s demise, and an interestingly offbeat character who cannot be accused of being just another two-dimensional villain. ‘One Perfect Day’ is an engaging film with a strong soundtrack that includes songs from a diverse array of performers: a small sample being Underworld, Stereo MCs, Blur, Orbital, Queens Of The Stone Age and Moby. It’s quite moving in places, particularly when Tommy DJs to receptive crowds at a couple of large dance parties, and also has many humorous touches: one notable one being a rather bizarre scene that shows Hector reaching a state of veritable ecstasy by shaving his pubes. Admittedly it’s quite corny in places, and Tommy’s success as a DJ is almost too rapid to be believable, but it’s still a nice piece of escapism and something that’s certainly a change from what we’ve become accustomed to seeing from the local film industry. |
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