Head On

We are introduced to Ari, a 19-year-old second-generation Greek Australian living with working-class parents and his sister in Melbourne. He is unemployed and his life feels aimless, setting the tone for the personal struggles that shape the story.

Ari's volatile relationship with his Marxist father Dimitri is a constant source of friction, with Dimitri lecturing him about responsibility and the harsh expectations of adulthood. The tension at home underscores the pressure Ari feels to conform.

Ari's mother Sophia shows tenderness and concern for her son, while sister Alex hides her own relationship from their parents. The family dynamics reveal the hidden lives and worries that complicate Ari's world.

Ari's circle of friends are also second-generation Greek Australians. The group includes Joe and his fiancée Dina, Johnny who cross-dresses as Toula, and Betty, who shares a rebellious streak with Ari.

Ari senses romantic chemistry with Sean, Peter's Anglo housemate. The attraction sets up a potential, complicated relationship that runs counter to his family’s expectations.

At Joe's house, Ari is privately confronted by Tasia, who reads his tea leaves and warns him about Sean, telling him to find a girl and get married, hinting at the social pressures he faces.

Ari and Dina take drugs together, and he has partial sex with Betty, illustrating how Ari alternates between seeking connection and self-destruction within his social circle.

Ari meets Sean at a club, and Johnny, wearing drag, convinces him to continue on to another club. The night spirals into a heady mix of flirtation and risk.

A taxi ride with Johnny is stopped by the police, and both are humiliated, stripped, and beaten at the station. Johnny is singled out and savagely beaten by a Greek Australian cop.

After the ordeal, Ari is released and goes to meet Sean at a club, where the tension between them remains palpable as their encounter resumes.

Ari and Sean have sex at Sean's flat, but the encounter turns tense as Ari starts a fight and Sean fights back, ultimately kicking him out of the bedroom.

In the early morning light, Ari stands at Melbourne's docks, dancing Greek-style and reflecting on the emptiness and meaninglessness of his life.