Films Outside the Loop Jeanne Chappé

This is an incredibly touching Australian film that you will watch with jaws clenched! This film won a number of Australian film awards but was never picked up by a distributor and given theatrical release in the United States. Perhaps they were afraid of the raw power of this film!

This film was both written and directed by Michael Rhymer. It is great to see a writer/director with the guts to make this film.

Harry (John Lynch) sees Kate (Jacqueline McKenzie) at a group therapy meeting and follows her when the meeting ends. They are both on heavy medication due to various mental problems that are never fully defined. Kate notices that Harry is following her, confronts him and that confrontation soon turns into outright lust between two people who are obviously destined for one another. The lust then turns into undying love (in a manner of speaking).

Kate receives guidance for her life through 'Astral' who is an angel and gives her advice with the answers on "Wheel of Fortune". Harry is obsessive/compulsive (yeah, like I'm a psychiatrist) and he is really into the numbers in his life being correct. These characters are believable and very moving with their powerful performances.

Kate and Harry move in together and Kate becomes pregnant with Harry's child. The coming baby is both their hope and their view of a future together. For the health of her unborn baby, Kate decides not to take her medication. Because of Harry's love for Kate, he stops taking his medication. Not a good move for either one of them.

This is a film that you will watch with gritted teeth but it is also an amazing love story. The performances by John Lynch and Jacqueline McKenzie are truly mind-blowing. John Lynch (Gerry in 1998's "Sliding Doors") is a fascinating actor to watch and Jacqueline McKenzie's mercurial face goes from childlike sexuality to ferocity in seconds. If you have ever felt that you are on the verge of instability (putting it mildly), I know that you will be mesmerized by this film.

The music is great...especially if you like the song "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum!

Runtime: 1:45

This film is available on VHS, cable or satellite.

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