Somersault (2004)

New experiences help a young girl learn the differences between sex and love.

Director:

Cate Shortland

Writer:

Cate Shortland

Stars:

Abbie Cornish, Damian de Montemas, Sam Worthington

40 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Abbie Cornish	...	Heidi
Damian de Montemas	...	Adam
Olivia Pigeot	...	Nicole
Alex Babic	...	Brian the barman
Elizabeth Muntar	...	Ticket Vendor
Justin Martin	...	Guy
Ben Tate	...	Sean
Joshua Phillips	...	Josh
Sam Worthington	...	Joe
Nathaniel Dean	...	Stuart
Paul Gleeson	...	Roy
Bruce Ross	...	Staring Man
Lynette Curran	...	Irene
John Sheerin	...	Pat
Anne-Louise Lambert	...	Martha (as Anne Louise Lambert)

Storyline

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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Plot Keywords:

love | unicorn | sex | scrapbook | convenience store | 

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Taglines:

Love can turn you upside down.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [de]

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 2004 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Cigánykerék

Filming Locations:

Australia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$21,566 (USA) (21 April 2006)

Gross:

$91,894 (USA) (23 June 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Red Carpet Productions, Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC), Fortissimo Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min 99 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Took 7 years to make.

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Goofs

When Joe pours hot water onto the icy windscreen of his car, no steam appears.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: 25 Years of Margaret & David (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Tankstelle Waltz"
Written by Amanda Brown
Performed by Amanda Brown
Produced by Amanda Brown
Control
Licensed courtesy Red Carpet Productions

User Reviews

Somersault a sexual journey

SOMERSAULT is a well handled treatment of a young 16 year old girl's journey through the discovery of her own sexuality and how to separate love from sex through creative encounters and experimentation. It is a very even handed portrayal staying clear of any moral or cultural judgments, with delicate if not provocative undertones and undergarments. Heidi who left under a misunderstanding when she quite innocently had an affair with her mother's live in boyfriend, heads to the symbolic wilds of New South Wales where she meets several of the movies characters all involved in their own emotional development or lack there of and are destined to repeat the nightly beer bashes and multiple empty (although enjoyable) sexual encounters where this critic felt an immediate connection with their strife. Heidi's life is rapidly becoming a slow alcohol induced, sexually propelled train wreck when finally the retarded aborigine boy sagely suggests that she simply should call her mom, who comes and picks her up and all is forgiven. The character of the gay farmer served no purpose to propel the story line and in my opinion was a cheap ploy to get most movie critics who are wired that way to come see the movie. Heidi's smirk reflected in the window of her mother's car at the end of the move serves as a perfect juxtaposition to her curious look at the opening scene while removing her surrogate stepfather's pants. A masterfully balanced film that I give a five star stretchability factor to. Don't walk but run to see this movie!!