Oddly compelling black comedy features Ernie (Burns), an intense house cleaner whose new client (Pearce) becomes increasingly concerned for her safety (and sanity) after he begins to display strange behaviour. Burns pulls off an especially creepy character, allegedly a former doctor, trained masseuse and master of seven languages with a penchant for histrionics, and an apparent love of fresh tiger prawns which he shares with soap star Bonner in one memorable scene.
His oddball clients are almost as vulgar, as he befriends and befuddles with fuzzy logic and warped perspectives on a range of topics often becoming personal and uncomfortable. I've seen a few of Spano's films now and have become more accustomed to his somewhat loose plot structure and narrative style, there's not much really happening beyond a slightly elevated paranoia and a few cringe-worthy situations (and one or two moving ones as well, e.g. US/AU cabaret singer Delilah playing a rather bittersweet version of herself that reflects her actual career and personal decline), yet it's still very watchable.
The climax is a bit frantic and unexpected, and whilst it's definitely an acquired taste, if you're a fan of 'Prisoner', you should relish the sight of so many alumni (ubiquitous in Spano's films) and also Chantal Contouri as a wise, leopard-print loving casting agent in whom Ernie can confide his bizarre client encounters.
