In Return Home at last we have a genuine "buddy movie," a sensitively told, understated story about male relationships. You won't find any glorified machismo or instant solutions here. Noel McKenzie is a bored, successful Melbourne insurance executive, recently divorced. On a whim, he decides to go back to his hometown, a beachfront suburb, to visit his older brother. Steve, along with his wife, runs an old gas station but the family is barely getting by and he is stuck in "the good old days," resistant to the inevitability of change. During his stay, Noel strikes up a friendship with Gary, a young mechanic with girlfriend problems; though their music tastes dramatically diverge, the older man grows fond of the teenager and becomes his confidant. Gradually he rediscovers the charm and leisurely ways of local life. What seems simple on the surface is elevated by real, sympathetic characters who begin transcending male roles (boss-employee, big brother-little brother) by, for once, listening to and helping each other (and themselves). There is no room for melodrama, as the low-key, naturalistic mood and splendid acting subtly fuel the film's power and believability. First-time director Ray Argall takes no false steps in telling a quietly moving story about people starting to get a hold, however small, on their lives. --Brian Gordon