Somersault

Synopsis: Coming of age: Heidi, 15, runs away from home after her mom sees her kissing mom's boyfriend. She goes to a Snowy River resort where a vague job offer doesn't pan out. She manages to find a place to live and a job at a convenience store. She's between childhood -- nursery rimes and a scrapbook of glittery unicorns - and adulthood - working, sorting out emotions and sexuality, and dealing with social slights and false charges of bad behavior. She's attractive and her loneliness makes her vulnerable. She sleeps with Joe, the son of local ranchers, and she awakens in him feelings he can't express. Is there any way she can put off adulthood and be a kid awhile longer?
Genre: Drama, Romance
Director(s): Cate Shortland
Production: Magnolia Pictures
  41 wins & 15 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.8
Metacritic:
73
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
NOT RATED
Year:
2004
106 min
Website
610 Views


GENTLE MUSIC:

TELEVISION PLAYS SOFTLY

BRAKES SQUEAK:

GENERAL CONVERSATION,

COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYS

(Fires gun repeatedly)

What are you doing here?

Thought I'd surprise you.

It's a school night.

Yeah, I know.

Where's Adam?

He's in the car.

Great. You know

he'll come and have a drink.

Sorry.

Alright, who's for another one?

Who's this, then?

Heidi.

You nevertold me you had a sister,

Nicole.

Very funny, Brian.

Go wait in the car. I'll get my bag.

DOOR CLOSES:

MUSIC PLAYS SOFTLY ON RADIO

DOOR OPENS:

ENGINE STARTS:

Did you let Misty out?

No.

Did you feed him last night?

Yeah, but he didn't eat breakfast.

He'll be alright.

God, I'm so late.

You'll have to get the bus, darling.

Mmm! Your hair smells good.

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

CAR ENGINE STARTS

GENTLE POP MUSIC PLAYS SOFTLY

Hey.

I made you a coffee.

Oh, ta.

It's perfect.

How come you aren't working today?

Raining.

Oh, yeah.

Did that hurt?

Yeah, hurt pretty bad.

Ones across bone hurt the worst,

but.

You know, metal against bone -

da-da-da digging away at you.

Can I feel it?

Oh, you weirdo. It feels like skin.

Can I?

INDISTINCT VOICES ON TV

VOICES ON TV CONTINUE

DISTANT BEEPING:

VOICES CONTINUE:

(Shocked whisper) What?!

(Gasps) F***, Heidi! Get off.

(Sobs quietly)

Mum!

Get away from me!

What were you doing?

Mum...

(Shouts) Get away from me!

We were doing f***ing nothing.

You f***ing bastard!

We weren't doing anything.

Listen to me.

I f***ing saw you!

We weren't...

I f***ing saw you!

I f***ing saw you!

Listen to me!

I saw you!

She was mucking around.

I saw you! (Sobs)

She wasn't f***ing doing anything.

(Nicole sobs)

DOOR SLAMS:

I can't believe this.

Mum...

Don't... say anything to me.

(Sobs)

SOMBRE MUSIC:

ANSWERING MACHINE: Hi.

You've rung Heidi and Nicole.

If you want to leave a message,

then please do so after the beep.

Beep! (Laughs)

BEEP!

How much is it to Jindabyne?

$78.

I've got a student pass.

$39.

It doesn't leave for two hours.

Thank you.

MELANCHOLY PIANO MELODY

TRAFFIC HUBBUB:

(Men laugh and chat)

DISTANT SIREN:

Hi. Um, can I speak to Eddie, please?

WOMAN:
Yeah, hang on.

Eddie!

Hello. Eddie speaking.

Hi. It's Heidi.

Who?

Heidi.

You said to call if I, um...

if I ever came to the snow.

No, sorry, I don't remember.

We met in Canberra.

Please don't call here again.

(Hangs up)

I thought that...

DIAL TONE BEEPS:

(Replaces receiver)

BO Y:
Hey, babe. How are ya?

DISTANT ROCK MUSIC POUNDS,

GENERAL CHATTER:

INTENSE ROCK MUSIC

(Spiderbait sing) # Hey, you

# You never should've ran

# You wanna make something

that can take you down again

# This time you say you're just fine

# You need a little something

that can make you smile again

# Come on

#Yeah

# It won't take long

# Hey

#You're never gonna need it

when you hear that sound again

# It's a sin

You're looking kind of thin

#You need a little bit

so you can impress everybody

# You're still in a daze... #

(Converses inaudibly)

# Hey, you

# I know you like to prance

# So get up for a dance

so I can spin you round again

# Take your time

You're looking just fine

# Let's do a little shuffle

that can make you smile again

# Come on

#Yeah

# It won't take long

# Hey

#You'll sing your little song

until the sun don't shine again

# But every time

you say you're just fine... #

MUTED CHATTER:

WIND WHISTLES:

DOOR SLIDES OPEN

It's cold in here.

Take your top off.

F***, it's freezing!

Oi! Come on, get up.

(Groans)

Hey, girl, better get up.

We're leaving.

Shut up, Sean.

Where are you going?

Um, back to Sydney.

Do you reckon I might be able

to come with you?

Um...

I've kind of got a...

He's got a f***in' girlfriend.

BELL TINKLES:

CLICKING:

MAN:
Hi.

Can I help you with something?

I was wondering

if there were any jobs available.

No, not at the moment, sorry.

Are you sure there's nothing?

Yep, I'm pretty sure.

What are you doing?

The tag was sticking out

of yourjumper.

Sometimes it might get really busy.

Yeah, sometimes it does get...

pretty flat out.

BELL TINKLES:

But I don't have anything,

so best of luck, hey?

BELL TINKLES, DOOR SHUTS

BIRDS SQUAWK:

UNEASY MUSIC:

DOOR OPENS:

(Starts engine)

MUSIC INTENSIFIES

BILLIARD BALLS CLINK

HORSERACING COMMENTARY ON RADIO,

GENERAL CHATTER:

SOFT ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC

(Groans)

See you tomorrow.

You've got something on your cheek.

Look.

It's glitter.

I'm Joe.

Heidi.

Would you like a drink, Heidi?

Where are you from?

All different places.

What, different to this?

It's nice here.

Nah, it's alright.

It's just full of f***ing tourists.

Like me?

No, not like you.

I saw you here dancing last night.

I saw you too.

Where was I sitting?

I saw you at the bar buying a beer.

No, you're lying.

Maybe I had a dream about you.

'THE LOVED ONE'

BY THE LOVED ONES PLAYS

LAUGHTER:

MUSIC CONTINUES:

SONG:
#Yonder she's walking

# She comes my way

# Red dress on

Her long black hair... #

Did you find it?

Yeah.

They're nice.

They're bluebirds.

Did your boyfriend give them to you?

I don't have a boyfriend.

What about last night?

I wouldn't go out

with someone like him.

He looked alright.

You can't tell what people are like

by looking at them.

Yeah, I know. You can't.

Underneath, people are...

are different.

Like, bad different.

How can you tell?

'Cause I look at you

and you don't look too bad.

Well, I've done bad things.

Yeah? Like what?

You say a bad thing you've done

first.

I ran over a dog the other day.

Did you mean to?

No.

Yourturn.

I kissed my friend's boyfriend.

Is that it?

Yeah.

I don't think that's too bad.

I think running over a dog is worse.

I got to go.

Do you want me

to drop you somewhere?

No.

See you.

# Red dress on

Her long black hair... #

CAR APPROACHES:

What are you doing?

I want to come with you.

(Stops engine, pulls handbrake)

Don't worry.

I'm not f***ing worried,

but you can't come with me.

Why not?

I live outside town, Heidi.

I don't mind.

You don't mind.

(Starts engine)

BELL TINKLES:

(Speaks inaudibly)

Yes.

BELL TINKLES:

You want a drink?

OK.

(Pours drink)

I can see your breath.

Yeah?

(Switches on TV)

This is a nice place.

(Sarcastically) Yeah, it's a palace.

I like it.

MAN ON TV:
Progress was made

despite the difficulties.

This man here

enjoyed the ground position

to wave happily to old friends.

NOSTALGIC MUSIC PLAYS ON TV

I don't think this is a coincidence.

No?

What is it?

I don't know.

It's like fate or something.

Aren't you tired?

Go to sleep, then.

I can't sleep.

Why not?

Don't know.

Just can't.

I can feel your pulse.

I can feel it there.

THUNDER RUMBLES:

SHOWER RUNS:

Hello.

I'm so bloody late.

The old man's gonna kill me.

Oh!

Heidi, it's just that...

I'm pretty busy, you know?

Yeah, me too.

Why are you putting hot water

in there?

To melt the ice.

See you.

See you.

DOOR CLOSES:

WISPY MUSIC:

DARK, ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC

WOMAN ON RADIO:

Snow FM. Who's this?

MAN:
It's Josh here.

How you going, Josh?

Rate this script:2.9 / 11 votes

Cate Shortland

Cate Shortland (born 10 August 1968) is an Australian film and television writer and director. She is best known for her films Somersault, Lore and Berlin Syndrome. more…

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