FOUR OF A KIND

Louise Siverson

FOUR OF A KIND (2008). Director: Fiona Cochran. 

In Melbourne Detective Gina Sturrick (Leverne McDonnell) interviews Anne (Louise Siverson), when her husband's supposed mistress is found stabbed to death in a park. Gina then goes to see her therapist, Glenda (Gail Watson), and she confesses something quite startling to her shrink. Meanwhile the shrink goes to see her best friend Susan (Nina Landis), and discovers that she, too, is holding back a terrible secret. In the final segment, Gina is back in a police interview room after there's another murder. Just who is guilty of what? 

Leverne McDonnell

I won't say much more about the plot of Four of a Kind, as it's the type of movie that should reveal its secrets to the viewer as the film goes along, but I will say that its main strength is the superb performances from a talented ensemble cast.  The screenplay by Helen Collins (I'd be surprised if this wasn't originally written for the stage) intelligently examines and dissects these four interesting women, making this a fascinating character study. Each segment is broken up by a brief performance by the rock-jazz group Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows, which is less distracting than you might imagine (their music is catchy, for one thing). Four of a Kind reminds me of one of Woody Allen's better pictures with its incisive characterization and its intermingling of what may seem like separate story lines. Although some may be put off by the somewhat ambiguous if insinuating ending, this is a worthwhile and unusual movie made in Australia. 

Verdict: If you're in the mood for something different, you may find this absorbing. ***.