Once a jolly bushman failed to entertain

Paperback Hero (15) Jack Willis, the truck-driving hero of this Australian romantic-comedy, keeps himself occupied on long journeys across the outback by writing romantic novels - "girly schmaltzy crap", as he calls them. It's a pastime few bushmen are likely to admit to.

Sure enough, Jack is reluctant to own up when a Melbourne publisher expresses an interest in his novel, so he decides to pass off the book as the work of local girl, Ruby, a young crop dusting pilot. When Ruby agrees to Jack's ruse and accepts his offer of a ride into Melbourne for the book's publicity tour, well, strewth, wouldn't you know, they start to fall in love.

Writer-director Antony J Bowman might be taking a few shots at the stereotypical image of the Australian man in the stoic, rugged figure of Jack, a man so terrified of letting feelings slip he'd rather let someone else take credit for his novel than be exposed as its author. However, thanks to an engaging performance by Hugh Jackman, Jack's avoidance of the limelight looks more like polite self-effacement than anything else, yet one more reason to be charmed by him.

Bowerman tries just as hard to make us like his film but it's laboured and predictable stuff. The cast give breezy and spirited performances and the shots of the Queensland outback look gorgeous. But the air of whimsy that hangs over the movie feels strained and lifeless, the happy-go-lucky eccentrics who populate Jack's hometown are particularly annoying.

Ultimately, despite its relatively lean running time of 90 minutes, you can't help but identify with the boredom Jack must feel on those interminable truck journeys of his.

Edward Lawrenson

Copyright 1999
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