nora be a single mother of two who still want to live the life of a young artist in the 1970s and as do her friend and a group of writer and singer and actor . the free love philosophy isn not quite out of the system and nora do not count on fall in love and particularly with a junkie . hazlehurst win her first of two afi award in the space of four year for her amazing portrayal of nora and who make sure she do the right thing by her child and but fall in love with junkie javo ( friels ) at the same time . garner who would later costar in film such a love and other catastrophe and strange planet be well cast a nora pre pubescent daughter and and caton ( perhaps in readiness for his role a host of the lifestyle program hot property in 2000 . ) appear a a bearded painter . early effort by director cameron be a winner while he go on to make the award win miniseries my brother jack among his late project . but it the stunning delivery by hazlehurst which bring to life the intelligent and search script and base on helen garner award win novel .