Topless Women Talk About Their Lives

You must admit the title, Topless Women Talk About Their Lives, sounds really cheesecakey..... but in fact it`s a device, the topless women talking about their lives is a film within a film, written by Ant - Ian Hughes, one of the characters in this off-the-wall contemplation of modern love and relationships made by New Zealand filmmaker Harry Sinclair, who wrote and directed. There are a number of stories running through Topless Women; the main one is about Liz - played with great bravado and skill by Danielle Cormack - who, at the beginning of the film is late for her abortion. She`s living with Geoff - Andrew Binns - who backs off at a rate of knots when he finds out about the baby, but the baby`s biological father Neil - Joel Tobeck - is keen to move back in and help out, just as a platonic relationship..... and then there`s Prue - Willa O`Neill - and Mike - Shimpal Lelisi - they`re truly in love and it`s at their wedding on the island of Nuie that a number of significant things happen... Topless Women is a slightly cynical but exultant celebration of the lives of these characters. The ensemble cast comes together excellently. Harry Sinclair made this film on weekends on a minimal budget, and he`s used the limitations of funds to good advantage. There`s a sense of immediacy and involvement because of Dale McCready`s hand held camera and because of the naturalism of the dialogue and performances, and through the chaos there are some uncomfortable truths about modern life and love.