Almost

Wendy (Rosanna Arquette) and Ronnie (Bruce Spence) were a storybook couple once, meeting on the dance floor, and tangoing their way to the altar. Now, on the morning of their 10th anniversary, the portrait is a bit more ordinary: Wendy, in curlers, engrossed in a bodice-ripper, while ironing; Ronnie, rushing around, planning his itinerary for another day on the road selling "Mr. Jollie's Lollies" (lollipops). Using voiceover narration, Wendy continues reading her romance novel during the course of her day: while riding the bus, at work, and while shopping at the supermarket. Due to a highly implausible series of events, Ronnie is stranded in the outback (this is an Australian film), where he discovers a dilapidated building for sale. After phoning Wendy to say he won't be home for some time (although he won't say why), Ronnie commences to build his dream: a nightclub. This confusing snub, as Wendy sees it, allows her to pursue a little romance with Jake (Hugo Weaving), a sophisticated hunk who wines and dines the country girl, but who ultimately turns out to be a total cad. While Arquette is especially winning as the flustered Wendy, the film has a fatal flaw. After the first hour, we know that Wendy is dreaming--because of shifts in time, amazing coincidences between the novel Wendy is reading and her adventures, etc.--but she never wakes up. It's as if, at some point, the filmmakers decided to go all-out for the fantasy ending, and failed to recall that they'd left numerous clues that the whole story was taking place inside Wendy's head. Viewers will feel cheated. Not recommended.(R. Pitman)