This triumph-over-adversity yarn about an Australian swimming champion strikes out winningly at first before treading water and finally going under.

Neighbours star Jesse Spencer gamely plays Anthony Fingleton, a cowed son and bullied brother growing up in 1950s Brisbane.

Dad (Rush), a dock labourer who resorts to the bottle when work dries up, idolises Anthony's sadistic sports jock of a brother and practically ignores him.

Fighting Anthony's corner with soothing words is long-suffering mum Dora (Davis) and his other, kindlier brother John (Draxl).

Dismissed all-too-readily by his father as piano-playing "pooftah", Anthony only catches his father's admiring eye when he sees him swimming at a local baths.

Learning that John also has waterborne skills, pop then launches into a draconian training schedule that has them both progressing from local to national competitions.

Director Russell Mulcahy - the man behind the Highlander movies - shows his eye for action is on the short-sighted side when it comes to domestic drama.

Actors of the top-flight calibre of Rush and Davis make the best of some leaden dialogue and there's game playing from the excellent Spencer and Draxl.

However, by the end we're fed up seeing Rush reeling drunkenly around into view while a wan Davis gazes out uncomprehendingly at the Pacific breakers.

There's also the weird choice of a contemporary techno soundtrack to accompany a 1950s swimming gala and the anachronistic use of the bizarrely drawn-out handshakes beloved of today's American teens.

As the title might suggest, Swimming Upstream is a hard slog.

Tim Evans