Based in part on the breakdown of his own marriage, director and co-writer Paul Cox charts the emotional lives of a group of middle class Melburnians dealing with the aftermath of a divorce.

Cox's independent spirit and intimate storytelling has gained him a loyal troupe of creatives in front of and behind the camera. This was the third collaboration between Wendy Hughes and Cox, which gained the actress her fourth AFI Award nomination.

Co-screenwriter Bob Ellis (who also collaborated with Cox on Man of Flowers) reverses the usual gender roles by having Hughes' character as the spouse having an affair and wanting out of her marriage while her husband (played by John Hargreaves) quietly falls apart.

This much lauded film went on to win AFI Awards for Hargreaves for Best Actor and Cox for Best Director.