Battle-scarred photojournalist Paul (MacFadyen) walks into a completely different war zone - his own family - when he returns to New Zealand for the funeral of his father.

Bitterly resented by his brother Andrew (Moy) for his abrupt departure seventeen years before, Paul has bridges to build with his estranged family.

However, he receives a warmer welcome from the local community, including his old flame and single mother Jackie (Rimmer).

He's gets a particularly heartfelt reception - part professional envy, part schoolgirl crush - from her spiky 16-year-old daughter Celia.

After taking a temporary teaching post at the local school, Paul's friendship with Celia grows deeper as she confides a secret longing to leave the small town life behind.

Director Brad McGann intrigues with a compelling character study of the damaged Paul and his increasingly poignant friendship with the impressionable Celia.

In an age when a teacher won't even be in the same room as a pupil of the opposite sex without the door ajar, this looks a rash move.

He's a John Pilger-type journalist who - unlike most attention-craving hacks - apparently turned down a Pulitzer Prize nomination.

Celia - beautifully played by newcomer Emily Barclay - is a young woman with a vivid imagination and a hankering for the sort of life Paul has led.

After being bound by their outsider status - scrutiny from an envious Andrew and a jealous Jackie - McGann then adopts a different tack altogether.

Celia disappears and Paul is the prime suspect, unlocking the door to a closet full of secrets, deceptions and festering grudges.

While sometimes hitting a duff note and occasionally trying too hard, this is never less than intriguing with spot-on performances from MacFadyen and Barclay.

A small but neat piece, you feel the local social services have got their work cut out.

Tim Evans