gavin6942 Based solely on a tea leaf reading, superstitious and introspective Kay believes she and Louis are destined to fall in love with each other, he who she is able to convince of the same despite he just having gotten engaged to her co-worker, Cheryl. That destiny may change with the fortunes of what she sees as the next symbol of their relationship, a somewhat sickly elder tree Louis plants in their garden for their one year anniversary.This is Jane Campion's first feature, and her best. Some might point to "Angel at my Table", but I personally thought that film was terrible. "Sweetie" is funny, and has an interesting sense about it. One might even call it quirky, but it never quite goes full-quirky, keeping one foot firmly in the real world. It is sort of like Wes Anderson lite, and one has to wonder if he didn't draw some influence from Campion.

Michelle The film is bizarre. We're introduced to our main character through fragmented shots of her from her knees down, then of her face off-center, and of her feet while walking on cracked pavement. We also see her walking the sidewalk past manicured bushes and trees, a shot that is repeated throughout the movie.While the opening credits are playing, we hear soulful music. Then, the music stops and contrasts with the stark bleakness of shots that immediately make us feel off-center. Like something isn't right. As an audience, we don't see the whole picture. We are at the mercy of the cinematographer just as much as the narrator, waiting for them to divulge the story, a story for which we somehow know there is much to come.Immediately after the opening credits we are told by Kay, our narrator and protagonist, of her fear of trees. In particular, the tree in the backyard of her parents' home where her sister was "princess;" she feared the roots of the tree would reach the house. This tree is to serve as a metaphor for the entire film.The first few scenes lead us to believe this film is about romance and destiny as Kay visits a psychic who tells her about the man with a question mark on his forehead. She finds the man and they begin their romance on the concrete floor of a parking garage.Tree Oblivious to Kay's fear of trees, the ever-innocent boyfriend plants a sapling in their backyard to commemorate their 13 month (I think) anniversary. As an audience, we didn't get to experience any of this first year with them, but we are aware that something has changed. Their backyard, a barren ground full of cracks, is a reflection of Kay's soul. She has kept herself unattached from others; the coworkers at work who mock her, her family and, after this tree incident, her boyfriend. But this tree is an infestation on Kay's life.The sapling is a foreshadowing of Kay's loss of control as her sister, Sweetie, enters her home. As soon as we meet Sweetie, she consumes the attention of all the characters. The life and roots of the tree represent the evils of attention-seeking Sweetie and of Kay's broken childhood coming back to haunt her.Let's not give any more attention to Sweetie.There is something truly unique and charismatic about this film. I didn't leave the film feeling as if the makers tried too hard; they didn't experiment for the sake of feeling like an art film. The cinematic choices made were deliberate and effective. They moved the story forward in ways that a simple plot unfolding could not have. The broken pavement, assumingly from roots beneath, the trees, the escape from civilization. It all worked.More at aMovieaCountryaJourney.com.

futures-1 "Sweetie" (Australian, 1989): Jane Campion is one of my favorite "newer" film makers. (See "An Angel at my Table" if you like this one!) She has a unique vision on life, and most every aspect of the film is hers - from concept and writing to the directing. Although the production values have a low-budget look, the stories are so good, and so powerful, you quickly overlook this weakness. "Sweetie" is the story of Kay, a highly neurotic young woman who is totally uncomfortable with the "everyday" world. Because of a tea leaf reading, she makes decisions that will greatly affect hers and others lives. Yep, she seems close to crazy. THEN her sister arrives - Sweetie, with a mystery man. Nope, things weren't crazy before… but NOW they are. They couldn't get crazier now. Then their parents come into the picture.

killgeekgirl This is a fantastic film. It uncovers the dark side of married life, the preservation of life and the stark contrast between people tied together by blood. Elements of this film are nightmarish and reminiscent of the work of David Lynch. Visuals are surreal and interesting. Campion successfully captures the emotions of the protagonist and the dislike she feels toward her sister, Dawn. You can sense the hate/love relationship the family feels toward Dawn. It's so well done that you start to dislike her also and she's seen as thorn. The most powerful scene in this film is at the end. Overall this film is one of Campion's most original and interesting pieces of work.