We are taught to dream as children, learning the possibilities of what is available to us through travel and exploration and wanting to satisfy curiosities. That feeling of yearning often transcends into adulthood, but fear of the unknown often holds (the majority of) us back. Elsewhere shows us what happens when someone unintentionally walks down that path; always a dreamer, never a believer.

Patrick Perrin (Nicolas Abraham) is a roulette dealer at a Rochefort casino who knows he’s destined for bigger things. A middle-aged man who relishes in studying maps and travel guides, he perfects the perfect itinerary in preparation for fulfilling his dream of travelling the world. In between we see glimpses of eccentric affairs with unusual women and jaunts from his workmates as he searches for more to discover. But as the years go by, things move on as Patrick and his big red suitcase stay stagnant. His situation is laughable at first, but for a film touted as a comedy the chuckles are thin.

Frederic Pelle’s debut feature, based on the book by author/screenwriter Laurent Graff, draws you in with the force of intrigue for the simple reason of finding out if he lives the dream. The film’s pace reflects Patrick’s slow life and achieves what it needs to in a suitable (85m) running time. The casting is inspired; Pelle’s use of Abraham sits on the side of quirky indie as we see Patrick trying to stay young as his dream gets older. Comedic use of music cements the irony, but truly, Elsewhere presents a sad story of how hard taking the plunge can really be. Patrick is almost a case study of what not to do in pursuing your dream… but as much as we want to criticise, we’re shown it’s up to an individual only to decide how to act upon their circumstance.

Elsewhere screens as part of the 2011 Bigpond Adelaide Film Festival.

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