There is much here that is very easy on the eye. Indeed there are most beautiful shots of butterflies and other insects as well as the titular tree and more. The house and interior of the new girl in town is also sumptuous and suitably filmed, as is the new owner, an ex burlesque dancer. The snag here is that with so much that is so pretty and stylish, verging on the fantastical, there is something of a disconnect with the rather poignant story being told. This is simple enough with a father, his son, aforementioned exotic dancer and rather forward young lady at father's school but in the dreamlike and fantastically colourful sequences some of the intensity of the drama is lost. Good performances all round and a most unusual and beautiful Australian film, that looks anything but, in this ever golden light and an idyllic suburb reminiscent of some of those equally unreal 'burbs in certain US films. Highly watchable nevertheless.
Review of The Butterfly Tree
