Review: Separation City
6th Aug 2009

By James Croot, Flicks.co.nz

5 Stars

Making Second-Hand Wedding look distinctly second-rate, Separation City is the Kiwi Generation X comedy drama we've all been waiting for. Like the similarly excellent small-screen Insiders Guide series, the action centres on Wellington and although it's portrayed as some kind of pristine, near windless wonderland, its central city provides an excellent backdrop for intertwining tales personal, public and political strife amongst a small group of friends.

Yes, veteran writer Scott can't keep his political nous and nose for satire out of a script jam packed with memorable one-liners ("I really wanted to go to assertiveness training but Joanne wouldn't let me") and vividly excruciating-to-watch scenarios. Often voice-overs are the last vestige of the damned (witness Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy) but here they give full voice to Scott's rich writing.

As well as bringing together some of New Zealand finest female acting talent (Jodie Rimmer, Cormack, Langstone), Separation City also provides a wonderful showcase for Boston Legal hottie Rhona Mitra (whose performance is likely to boost male attendances at future NZSO concerts) and the 'Antipodean Ewan McGregor' Joel Edgerton (TV's The Secret Life of Us). A mix of Thirtysomething, Sex, Lies and Videotape and Australian TV's Murray Whelan series, Separation City is "awesome with a capital O".

Cick here to watch Separation City Trailer