Three Blind Mice

Deceptively freewheeling, this taut psychological drama follows three young Australian naval officers on shore-leave who hit the streets of Sydney before being shipped out to Iraq. The dynamic between the three friends is uneasy, and tinged with malice: Sam (Ewen Leslie) has more than one reason to be looking for a way out; Dean (Toby Schmitz) is anxious to reconnect with his girlfriend and is burdened by some kind of guilt; Harry (director and writer Matthew Newton) is full of attitude and bent on a night of excess. The focus shifts from how they run, to why they run, when the uncomfortable secret that simultaneously binds and divides them is finally revealed. Some of Australia's finest acting talent grace the smaller roles in this energetic collaborative film made with a youthful audacity and verve. (Titan View)