A Month of Sundays

Anthony La Paglia almost carries this gentle examination of Frank Mollard, a divorced Adelaide real estate agent experiencing mid life crisis. Almost, but for a very good supporting cadt and script.

By chance, Frank meets Sarah (Julia Blake) who helps him overcome the loss of his mother. She tires of him but then feels guilty for doing so.

The great John Clarke plays Philip, Frank's sardonic real estate business partner.

Sarah makes a positive difference to both men's lives and splashes humanity into the film.

Frank's narration consists of his imaginary real estate advertisements wherever he goes, for business or otherwise.

When a down-on-his-luck real estate agent, named Frank, receives a phone call from a woman purporting to his mother, he plays along with the "prank" (his mother died the prior year!) until he realizes that the woman dialed his number by mistake. But his wanting to relive his life brings him to meet the lady who called him and become her friend, in a mother/son way.

While Frank's life has many more "downs" than "ups", lately, his new friend is just what he needs to find a new purpose in life.

"A Month of Sundays" achieves a delicate balance of drama, pathos and light-hearted comedy in a way that may have you shedding a few tears, along with a few shudders and laughs.

Real estate agent Frank Mollard (Anthony LaPaglia) can't move on. Divorced but still attached, he can't connect with his teenage son. One night Frank gets a phone call from his mother who died a year ago. This leads him to explore his grief with wise elder, Sarah played by Julia Blake ('Man of Flowers', 'Prisoner', 'Innocence', 'Wolverine').

Set in the leafy suburban streets of picturesque Adelaide, it's a gentle tale of modern life during a real estate boom and of the human connection that makes a house a home. It is really about everything; parents, children, regrets, love, work, grief and ordinary people finding improbable salvation.

Adelaidey-odlians will find it especially poignant because it involves a nostalgic nod to the ¼ acre block with fruit trees that is rapidly being consigned to history. But with the superb cast, it's a very fine film, regardless. LaPaglia (ex-Norwood High School) and Julia Blake (at 79 years) are note perfect in the lead roles.

LaPaglia's real estate agent, Frank, is a sad sack with his rut deeply, sharply cut. All locations are described with his realtor's double-speak, even when he comes home to his Linden Park unit after work; "Needs a little attention, decorator's dream" etc.

Mixed with the serious themes, there's plenty to laugh at in Frank's interactions with his newly successful ex-wife played by Justine Clarke, and in his clumsy interactions with his son and potential home-buyers. His boss is played by ex-Kiwi, the beloved comic John Clarke who inevitably steals all his scenes with hilarious dead-pan contributions. There's also a hearing impaired element to the story which can make this film that rare, rich experience for the deaf community (in its closed caption version) and the wider audience.

With equal parts comedy, tragedy and heart-warming wisdom, writer director Matthew Saville (Tim Winton's 'Cloudstreet', 'Roy Hollsdotter Live' & Chris Lilley films) has created an understated masterpiece to sit alongside great suburban Adelaide films such as 'Travelling Light', 'Return Home' and 'Look Both Ways'. (Snowtown is in another genre!) Cinematographer Mark Wareham throws our streets and backyards onto the big screen with great understanding and skill, so best get yourself secure housing in Adelaide if you can, before the whole world sees this big-hearted film and comes a-bidding.

Andrew Bunney, Let's Go to the Pictures, 9-11 AM Thursday, 3D Radio, Adelaide 937FM, Digital, iTunes

A sweet little movie with great characters and a pleasantly optimistic plot about dealing with grief and life's challenges. Lapaglia is great and the support cast excellent.

I nice little Aussie gem. Americans can learn a lot about sweet movies that you don't gag on.

Seeing John Clarke in the cast was one of the main reasons that encouraged me to see 'A month of Sundays'. On that score, I wasn't disappointed, Clarke gave a polished performance with a few of his usual sarcastic/humorous one liners perfectly delivered. While obviously a film of redemption, son's trying to justify and/or prove themselves to their elders, to me the movie lacked a real plot or something to bond it together. It meandered along in its own way, much like the main character, struggling real estate salesman Franks, played by Anthony LaPaglia who did do a great impression of a Real estate agent, albeit not an over enthusiastic one ! Overall it was watchable, but for me fell a little short of being memorable.