AustLit

Lonely Hearts explores the complex relationship between two middle-aged people who have never had a relationship before. Peter is a piano tuner who, although almost fifty years old, has always lived with his mother. After her death, he joins a dating agency and meets Patricia, a shy bank clerk in her thirties who's afraid of sex. Their friendship blossoms during rehearsals for an amateur theatre production, but falters when Peter's desire becomes too urgent.

When John, a composer, is told by his wife Helen that she has been having an affair, his world begins to collapse around him. Instead of attempting to address the issues that led his wife to seek solace with another man, John pursues a negative response. To make matters worse his father is dying in hospital. As John becomes more and more morose, his behaviour also becomes increasingly unpredictable, leading to incidents that are underpinned by potential violence. Unable to continue living with her husband, Helen and their daughter move out. John's attempt to suicide by overdosing on pills fails and he instead wakes up to find himself in a psychiatric unit. It is not until his father dies that John is finally able to gain perspective on the reasons for the break-down of his marriage and the extent of his loss.

(Source: Australian Screen)

'In the last days of her battle with cancer, Marta remains cheerful and determined to live life to the fullest. With the help of Anna, a visiting nurse who has become her closest friend, Marta resists pressure from her son Jonathon to move to a home. Despite her illness, Marta takes care of her infirm neighbour Billy, whose relatives never visit. She also provides a place where Anna can see her lover Peter in secret. When Marta is hospitalised after a serious fall, Anna and Jonathan join forces to get her home. This event also causes Anna to make a serious decision.'

Source: Australian Screen (Sighted: 5/10/2012)