30 Second Bottom Line: A woman who is engaged to be married decides to test her relationship because it seems too perfect. As things start to unravel, her efforts to turn the clock back prove more than a little difficult.

Story Line: Lucinda and Rob (Danielle Cormack and Karl Urban) are a very happy couple who can make love with passion either in their bedroom or in an open pasture. Their eyes light up when they see each other and when Lucinda accepts Rob's proposal of marriage, both are rapturous.

The setting is a dairy farm in the lush New Zealand countryside. Understanding that this romantic comedy is a fable helps to get in the right frame of mind for the events that are about to occur. Two things help us make that transition early on in the film. One is that Rob has a dog with agoraphobia (fear of being in public places). The dog runs around under a cardboard box, which totally covers him up. No holes for the eyes or anything like that mind you. I knew I was hooked when Rob scratched the box and I was oddly touched and willing to accept it. The other is that Rob is so attached to his herd of 117 milk cows that he recognizes them by their "voices." He greets them by their unique number, "Hello # 87, how are you today?" Lucinda and Rob live in a thrown together cottage, with little furniture; but it has a surprising magical quality, felt later in the story. Their one beautiful possession is a patchwork quilt they sleep under.

Driving into town to share the news of her engagement with her best friend, Drosophilia (Willa O'Neill), Lucinda mows down an old Maori woman crossing the road. The mysterious woman is unharmed and she issues a warning to Lucinda as she disappears into the forest, "Keep warm." Drosophilia works as a clerk in their small town convenience store, which has a gas station with two pumps out front. Both are excited about the engagement and when Lucinda wonders how you tell when a relationship is starting to go south, Drospohilia says, "When the spark in the relationship starts to go out, the signs are unmistakable." Most people would file that thought away and not be on guard for signs of trouble. Lucinda, however, decides to give Rob a few tests to determine his level of love and commitment.

First she pretends to spill a beer on Rob by accident, when they both know she did it on purpose. He's mildly irritated but only shrugs his shoulders…it's gone in a flash. Later she ruins a large steel vat of milk, which would fetch a healthy price. Rob is angry all right, but he allows her sexual charms to change his mind.

Lucinda's final test for him involves the Maori woman she ran over earlier, Auntie (Rangi Motu). Auntie is a collector of quilts, among other things. One night a group of her nephews steal the handmade quilt from Lucinda and Rob as they are sleeping. When Lucinda discovers who stole it, she makes an attempt to buy it back. The deal they strike is to trade the quilt for Rob's herd of cows. This of course wipes out not only Rob's livelihood, but also his other true passion. His cows are not just creatures that produce milk, but living beings he cares about…even loves.

Having finally made Rob beyond mad at her, Lucinda soon sees that she has set a course of events in motion that she is now trying desperately to stop. Rob is depressed because he has no way of dealing with his future. He is vulnerable to the romantic advances of a woman who wants to marry him…Drosophilia, Lucinda's two-faced friend.

Rob's best friend is potato farmer, Bernie (Michael Lawrence), who helps him maintain his sanity as he and Lucinda try to resolve their problems. Getting back together requires having possession of both the quilt and the herd of cows. They will make the journey but it will not be a straight road.

Tell Me More About It: I knew this was going to be a special movie when the opening credits were rolling. We see a couple in bed trying to fit under a hand made quilt, the title of the film as well as the names of the cast are shown as embroidery on the blanket. Add the music soundtrack provided by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and this is not your regular flick.

With the notable exception of Hollywood cuteness in Bridget Jones's Diary, romantic comedies made in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, while similar to those in the US, have a major difference which tends to make them better films…the female actresses look like people you or I might date. While not Cosmo cover beautiful, like Julia Roberts or Ashley Judd, they are attractive, radiant and full of life. That's important, because it allows the film to take unrealistic turns, yet come across as a realistic story. One that you tend to take somewhat more personally than would otherwise be the case.

This film is part allegory, with things happening that we know are not real, such as cars literally piling up on top of each other as they miss a tricky bend in the road. What is it Auntie and her nephews are trying to get Lucinda and Rob to realize? What about that magic, moveable cottage in the meadow? While those events are not likely to occur, the things that people do to and with each other are real, and so are the consequences. The "what if factor" is rampant in this story. This combination brings you into the frame of mind of the characters and makes you care about them.

The Price of Milk allows us to reflect on personal situations where we knew that 1) it was either too good to be true, or 2) that since nothing lasts forever, the expression "this too shall pass," applies to good things as well as bad. While you may think that it's as good as it gets, it could actually get better, if you only leave it alone!

Danielle Cormack: Amazon High	Karl Urban: The Privateers
Willa O'Neill: An Angel at my Table	Michael Lawrence: Claire Dolan
Rangi Motu: Once Were Warriors	Harry Sinclair: Topless Women talk about their Lives

Lucinda: Danielle Cormack	Rob: Karl Urban
Drosophilia: Willa O'Neill	Bernie: Michael Lawrence
Auntie: Rangi Motu	Director: Harry Sinclair