Four orphan boys, all born in December, grow up together in a Catholic convent during the 1960s in outback Australia. They watch sadly as younger boys are adopted and wonder if their magic moment will ever come. They can't believe their luck when they are chosen to stay with a family near the seaside for the summer. Their hosts are Bandy McAnsh (Jack Thompson), a retired naval officer, and his wife Skipper (Kris McQuade), a very pious Catholic.
Maps (Daniel Radcliffe) is the oldest orphan, and although quite shy and awkward himself, he looks after the others. Misty (Lee Cormie) is the youngest. He is artistic and has religious visions. In one of them, the three nuns from the convent tell him that he has been adopted and they are so happy that they perform cartwheels in front of him. Spark (Christian Byers) is a fun-loving kid who smokes and is fascinated with lingerie ads. Spit (James Fraser) is the jokester in the group.
The boys find this cove by the ocean to be a playground for their adolescent energy. The first time they see Teresa (Victoria Hill) emerging from the sea topless, one of them faints, and the others cannot believe their eyes. This French beauty is married to Fearless (Sullivan Stapleton), a cyclist who works at the local fairgrounds. They do not have any children, and when Misty learns that they might adopt one of them, he immediately tries to impress them with his creativity and good manners.
This engaging coming-of-age drama is based on a novel by Michael Noonan and has been adapted for the screen by Marc Rosenberg. The close bond of friendship between the four boys is tested when they begin competing for the attention and affection of Fearless and his wife. Maps does not get involved in this rivalry since he has become infatuated with Lucy (Teresa Palmer), a sexy teenager staying with a relative on the beach. She immediately takes charge in their romantic relationship, and he gladly acquiesces. They meet in a cave and Maps is initiated into the sexual pleasures that are forbidden by the Catholics who have raised him.
Before the summer is over, the boys have had close encounters with death, a strange wild horse, and a legendary large fish. Their experiences leave an indelible mark on the four of them and carry all the way into adulthood. This Australian film exudes a vibrant sense of place and stretches our appreciation of the ways in which friendship can sometimes be deepened even when it is most in jeopardy.
