“While the story is imaginative it doesn’t go very deep or far.”
Con Nats
2.5 Stars
Opens 23rd April 2026
Australia is a big place and country towns are very isolated. They can turn city slickers crazy from the boredom, especially if you’re working nights and your partner works days.
Anna (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) is a doctor in a country hospital who works nights. Joe (Nicholas Denton) her partner, is an engineer who works days. To alleviate the boredom, Joe invents meeting a local called Jack and his horse, Buck. Anna then invents his wife Michelle.
They each send notes to this couple via the other partner and soon this imaginary couple starts to dominate their lives and impacts their emotions. And when Joe meets a real Michelle (Bishanyia Vincent) and invites her to dinner things come to a head.
This is nicely made movie. The scenery is attractive and soundtrack is sparse, as is the script. Writer-director James Lichfield has taken a small idea and stretched it into a small film.
This could have been a very good short film. While the story is imaginative it doesn’t go very deep or far. A scene between Anna and Reg (the very talented Alan Dukes) goes nowhere and says little. There is little to show us why the relationship between Joe and Anna is at breaking point other than one line “Hang in there” between them.
Lichfield has the time to bring more colour to these characters.
This is perfect for film festivals and at 80 minutes it doesn’t drag but also feels it doesn’t dig too deep.
2.5 Bucks
Con Nats, On The Screen
