Oyster Farmer is a 2004 Australian romantic comedy/drama film about a 24 year old man who runs away to the Hawkesbury River and finds a job with eighth-generation oyster farmers. It was written and directed by Anna Reeves, produced by Anthony Buckley and Piers Tempest, and stars Alex O'Loughlin and Diana Glenn. The film was both set and filmed in the Hawkesbury River region, Sydney.
Plot
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.