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Directed by: Rowan Woods

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving, Martin Henderson, Noni Hazlehurst, Dustin Nguyen, Joel Tobeck

Runtime: 114mins

There are very few actors who have reached the versatility of Cate Blanchett. She has provided competition even for her male counterparts who have failed to compete with the roles she has taken. This role is one of her lesser known ones and yet very slow to recognize what she does I with. It is totally outside the roles she has played in the past and even those that have defined her career. It almost feels she is taking a break from most of her tougher roles but then you have to think again. There is a lot of self exploration that has gone into this role as well.

The film gets into the life of a recovering heroin addict who tries to piece back her life together. Tracy Heart played by Cate is a person who wants to change the way she has been living and wants to help her dad to get out of the habit. But then after a four year absence one of her former lovers turns up who was also a heroin addict himself and gives her a ray of hope. His whole look has changed since they last met he wears suits and has a good job. Tracy begins to resurface feelings for this but fails to see the truth in what he does. Tracy works in a video and she wants to save enough money so that she could start her own thing. She begins to question her former lover’s intention after he tells her that he could give her the money if she invested in him. The film takes a severe turn into the world of drugs once again because of the consequences and the lies each character has said and also test the resolve of Tracy.

The film becomes a self defacing allegory to all that Tracy stands for and ends in tragedy. It explores the earnestness one feels towards ones family. It also explores various aspects of human condition as well. Cate Blanchett takes the role and feels like she has got stuck within the demands of it. She is a person who needs to work her way out of it and also take care of what she holds dear. This is what makes this role all the more compelling. Hugo Weaving as the step father is also a revelation created the much needed chaos in the lives of both Tracy and her brother Ray. It is finally a beautiful ensemble peace with a sort of boring ending but what it gives is a careful observation of man’s various addictions.