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Like Newsfront, Heatwave centres on a man of integrity under moral pressure, in this case upwardly mobile architect Stephen West (Richard Moir). His template for future low-cost housing has been co-opted by a greedy developer (Chris Haywood) and a consortium of Big Business with links to crime. Middle-class anarchist Kate Dean (Judy Davis) awakens his conscience after a sleuthing colleague of hers vanishes, presumed murdered.

Noyce and Marc Rosenberg reworked an original script by Mark Stiles. Noyce evokes a palpable sense of place -- inner city Sydney, during a stifling and oppressive summer heat wave. Unfortunately the interweaving plot threads tangle before the end and finally unravel. Arson, prostitution, bullying, murder -- corruption reaches everywhere and almost everyone is tainted.

The attempt to resolve the unsolvable results in a silly, far-fetched climax in a sex club on New Year’s Eve. The ending raises a stench that no amount of atmospheric set-ups, moody camerawork (by Vincent Monton), dramatic slow motion or fine performances (from Davis, Moir and Haywood) can dispel.

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originally posted: 12/11/03 16:59:20
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