| Director | Anna Reeves |
|---|---|
| Box office | A$2.4 million |
Jack Flange is caring for his sister Nikki, who is in hospital following a serious car accident and is facing dwindling health insurance money to pay for her recovery. To circumvent this, Jack stages a hijack of a payroll van at the Sydney Fish Markets. He sends the money to himself via an Australia Post Box at the crime scene to avoid getting caught. Jack waits for the arrival of the money in Brooklyn, where he lands among a community who make their living off the Hawkesbury River. Amongst these is eight-generation oyster farmer Brownie and his elderly father Mumbles, who Jack applies to for a job as cover while he waits for the money’s arrival. Jack meets Pearl, a cleaning lady with an inclination for expensive shoes. Brownie frequently argues with Mumbles, who believes his advice on oyster farming to be crucial to Brownie’s business. Brownie’s oysters continually spawn prematurely and lack quality, and have done since the departure of Brownie’s estranged wife Trish. Mumbles believes Trish to be the only person capable of salvaging Brownie’s operation since she is highly skilled and has since started her own business. Where Brownie’s oysters decline in value, Trish’s are flourishing.
Jack’s money fails to arrive, making him increasingly anxious. Brownie is concerned for his business and is convinced Trish still loves him, telling Mumbles that they are not getting divorced and that she is just going through a phase. Police officers arrive to interview the oyster farmers in relation to the missing funds at the fish market. Jack tells the officers he was at the fish markets at the time of the robbery but did not see any suspicious behaviour. Jack meets Slug, a wastewater manager who irritates Brownie and gets in a fight with Jack after threatening Mumbles and the other oyster farmers. Jack’s money ends up at the bottom of the Hawkesbury River after the postal worker transporting it has a heart attack and dies. Mumbles continues to insist on Trish’s assistance as Brownie’s oysters steadily decline in condition and Brownie continues to dismiss his advice.
Slug harasses Pearl and threatens Jack when he discovers his interest in her. Pearl arrives at Jack’s house to ask for a lift, and he asks her why she continually deals with Slug’s actions. They argue about each other’s intentions and end up kissing. Jack meets Trish officially, and helps her carry equipment onto her boat. Jack and Trish discuss her abilities and prowess as an oyster farmer, and Jack inquires as to why she left Brownie. Trish says it was because Brownie did not let her help with his business and, oddly, refused to buy her a bathtub. Mumbles reveals to Jack that Slug is actually Pearl’s father. Brownie sees Jack helping Trish again and is irritated by it. Mumbles insists Brownie reconcile with Trish, and Jack suggests by buying her a bathtub. Though he takes Jack’s advice, Brownie begins to suspect Jack and Trish have something between them.
Pearl gets a job at the post office, and Jack pesters her about the whereabouts of his package. Pearl counters by inquiring about its contents and recipient, and Jack says the package is for his sister. Pearl jokes that her co-worker suspects Jack of robbing the fish markets and mailing the money to himself, which he dismisses adamantly. Jack meets and fishes with Skippy, a Vietnam veteran who warns Jack not to sneak around where he is not wanted. Mumbles believes Slug is dumping wastewater in the river to sabotage Brownie’s harvest and confronts him, but Slug denies the accusation. Jack tells Pearl that Nikki is transferring to Gosford hospital. After Pearl confronts him about wastewater dumping, Slug repeatedly denies it and tells Pearl he is abandoning his business. Pearl’s dog runs away to Jack’s house and eats his TV remote, which subsequently kills him. Jack and Mumbles try to resuscitate the dog and in doing so, accidentally knock his body into the river just as Pearl arrives. They deny seeing the dog and Pearl continues looking. Brownie tells Jack that Pearl’s credit card had to be cut up and she has had to be bailed out of jail multiple times, all to do with her shoe habit. Brownie also suggests he buy Pearl a new dog, which he does. Jack and Pearl spend more time together, and eventually sleep together.
Brownie finally asks Trish for help with his oysters, and interrogates Trish about the secret to her success, with her response being that she sings to her oysters. When Brownie laughs at her, she yells at him and tells him she is not coming back to him. The two reconcile and kiss after their son comes into the room. Brownie states his intention to buy back the leases on which Trish farms her oysters to give her full ownership of them, and to give Jack two leases of oyster farms if he takes Mumbles with him. Jack accepts.
Jack discovers Mumbles is the one who stole his package of money after losing it to the river, and that he cut up the money and decorated the bathtub Brownie bought Trish with it. Mumbles insists Jack was a terrible criminal, and that the thought would have only given Jack a bad conscience. Jack is horrified, berates Mumbles and states that he is going to quit his job. At an annual oyster competition, Brownie wins first prize, surprising himself and prompting a proud reaction from Trish. Jack moves to Gosford with Nikki. Brownie and Mumbles surprise Trish with her bathtub, and Mumbles reveals to Brownie that Jack quit, disappointing Brownie and Trish. On the train to Gosford, Jack realises his desire to stay at the Hawkesbury River and gets off at the nearest train station. While Brownie, Trish, Mumbles and the rest of the oyster farmers celebrate their win, Jack and Pearl are seen in Trish’s bathtub.