A PERFECT PAIRING

Australia, 2022, 101 minutes, Colour.

Victoria Justice, Adam Demos, Samantha Cain, Craig Horner, Lucy Durack, Jaden Popik..

Directed by Stuart McDonald.

A romance for American audiences as well as the home Australian audiences. Victoria Justice is an American actress in the lead but the rest of the cast is Australian as is the director. And, apart from some scenes in San Francisco, the film was made in Queensland.

Audiences interested in wine will respond to the plot, American importers, some doubledealings, information about Australian wines, travels to Queensland to discover the wines and their production. And, audiences who enjoy pictures of life on the farm, there is plenty of activity there, and in quite some down-to-earth detail.

Victoria Justice plays Lola, involved in the wine industry, alerted to Australian wines by a chef friend, explaining to her friend and associate who goes behind her back to try to get the contract. Lola sits up her own company, goes to Australia, intending to track down the company who make the wine, finding herself on a large farm, her request rejected, her deciding to stay and work on the farm – in all kinds of practical details including shearing – but falls foul of the co-workers. However, she is befriended by a rather reclusive farmer, Max (Adam Demos). When she decides to return to America, the car breaks down, she encounters Max, he takes her to the winery, they have feelings for each other, and then emerges that he is a silent partner in the company, the brother of the owner.

Lola is dismayed, returns to America, works in a company with the friend who betrayed her earlier, Max arrives – and, happy ever after.

1. Romantic comedy, for American audiences, Australian audiences?
2. The American background, wine importation, big business, imports? Management? California? The Australian background, the sheep property, the Vineyard and Wine production, the small towns?
3. The Australian location photography, the property, mountains, waterfalls, feels and flocks? Wine production? The musical score, songs?
4. Lola’s story, family background and support, big business, the clashes with Calder, betrayal by Audra? The contact with Hamish? Going to Australia, the encounter with Max, the encounter with Hazel, the tough stents, business interests, Lola deciding to stay, interactions with Max, the accommodation, the hard attitudes of the women, the details of the work, fences and wire, marine, manure, Lola and her awkwardness? The practical jokes with the spider on the chair? Having to cope, befriending the sheep, calling it Barbara? Gradually accommodating, the friendship of the women, Max and the conversations? The night out on the town, the bar fight and the consequences? Calder and his visit to Australia, with Audra, the proposal, Lola refusing? The visit to the Vineyard and the production, the night out, in love with Max? His finally telling her the truth? Her reaction, returning to California?
5. Max’s story, mother, kicking over the traces, her death, Hazel his sister, the money, the investment, is working on the property and enjoying it, decisions about the wine? Conversation with Hazel? The attraction to Lola, the work, the swimming pool, the camping, the truth and his leaving it too late?
6. Calder, the American tycoon, callous, opportunist? Audra, her betrayal, change of heart, trying to help Lola? The visit to Australia? Audra working with Lola afterwards?
7. Hazel, the property, the wine, demanding on Lola, admiring her?
8. The background at the property, the women, the lesbian woman and her partner, pregnancy, the wedding? The other women and their work? The men on the property?
9. Romcom and soap opera on an Australian sheep property?