Wilby Wonderful

Rating:

* * *

Verdict:

Classy ensemble sustains a soap-opera that is a minor-league Short Cuts.

The action in this small but satisfyingfilm takes place over 24 hours in a small town on  Nova Scotia. Writer/director MacIvor, who also plays the dumber of the film's two venal villains, has come up with a minor-league

Short Cuts

, held together by Oh's Carol, a neurotic real estate agent. The 2004 film is also notable for the presence of Page (a Nova Scotian native), before her breakthrough   in

Hard Candy

and  Oscar-nominated work in

Juno

.

MacIvor skilfully weaves together the stories of a dozen people in a town where everyone knows everyone else's business. "Did you ever hear of live and let live?" asks one character. "We don't do that here, thank God," is the reply.

Unlucky-in-love Sandra (Jenkins) runs a down-at-heel diner; her daughter Emily (Page) is on the verge of losing her virginity; Dan Jarvis (Allodi), abandoned by his wife, is bent on suicide, but not very good at it; the  mayor (Chaykin) is running a planning scam;  Carol's cop husband, Buddy (Gross), is having an affair with Sandra; and  handyman Duck (Rennie) seems to function as a Greek chorus but, as it transpires, has desires of his own.

MacIvor lets you slowly into his characters' lives: slick pacing and   fine, unshowy ensemble acting ensure it never bogs down.

The mix of comedy and pathos may sail close to the wind at times  and there are a few too many scenes in which people stare out to sea,   but this is an enjoyable soap opera for grown-ups.

Peter Calder

Cast:

Sandra Oh, Paul Gross, Rebecca Jenkins, Maury Chaykin, Ellen Page, Callum Keith Rennie, James Allodi

Director:

Daniel MacIvor

Running time:

99 mins

Rating:

M (offensive language, sexual references)

Screening:

Academy