This story takes place in Sydney, where the story begins with a student named Lisa and lives in the suburbs. When Lisa finishes her exams, she seems to be waiting for the results of her final high school exams, where she dreams of going to the University of Sydney to change her life. During the waiting period, Lisa takes a summer job at a large store. In that big store, she works alongside a group of salesmen who change her isolated world.
As a light, lovely-looking entertainment, Ladies in Black is a superlative chick flick that celebrates femininity and independence as mutually supportive qualities...the film also champions how Australia was built by a rich mix of cultures.
Ladies in Black quietly but effectively points out the seldom-stressed positives of immigration and integration, and thus deserves attention far beyond its own native shores.
From the eye-popping colours of the period's fabulous floral dresses to the snapped suspenders and silk petticoats beneath, this is a film above all for women who love fashion.
Ladies in Black isn't really a plot-driven movie, it's more of a mood, it's about inviting you to spend some time in this lovely, quaint world where it's always sunny.
The way every ruffle of a dress or lace embellishment is offered a moment and how audiences can admire the pattern of a gown as much as the acting recalls Jocelyn Moorhouse's The Dressmaker...
It's hardly surprising that Beresford's return to top form has come along in the shape of a movie made in Australia, based on an Australian novel, using top Australian actors and a few well-chosen ring-ins.
While the film feels slightly avoidant of the deeper issues at stake, what remains is a delightfully warm-hearted film that turns a topical minefield into an inviting meadow you'll want to roll around in.
