In Under The Radar, Nathan Philips plays Brandon, a surfer sentenced to community service in a home for the intellectually disabled after a "surf rage" incident. He befriends a shifty bogan, Trevor (played by comedian Steady Eddie, who has cerebral palsy), and recurring amnesiac Adrian (Clayton Watson from "Matrix Revolutions"). The three of them go on a road trip and meet up with runaway waitress Jo (model Chloe Maxwell in her first acting role), and two warring groups of gangsters.
The latest film from Evan Clarry (Blurred) is an enjoyable mainstream experience, although it does look like it was made for television. There's little new here, but it's quite watchable and improved by the non-linear narrative. With his brain resetting every half hour, Adrian's the most interesting character, and his coping mechanisms are explored in some depth, though this is not nearly as well done as in Memento. Special mention to the tropical Queensland forest, which was made to look both temperate and menacing by cinematographer Philip M Cross. **½/***** stars.
