Gentle and breezy affair

Misty (Cormie), Sparks (Byers), Spit (Fraser) and Maps (Radcliffe) are the December Boys, so called because they share the same birth month, as decreed by nuns from the Catholic orphanage they call home.

As the oldest member of the quartet, Maps realises his chances of adoption are ever diminishing, so he takes solace in throwing a protective arm around his surrogate brothers.

For a rare treat, the boys are invited to the seaside to spend the summer in the care of retired naval officer Bandy McAnsh (Thompson) and his wife (McQuade). Tensions ignite when the lads learn that a childless couple, Fearless (Stapleton) and Teresa (Hill), who also live on the beach, intend to adopt one of them before the summer is out.

Adapted from Michael Noonan's novel, set in the Australian outback during the '60s, December Boys unfolds at a lackadaisical pace, accompanied by occasional narration from Misty.

The sexual awakening of Maps with local girl Lucy (Palmer) is sensitively handled - "That was your first kiss, I'll bet," coos the girl, "I can teach you if you like!" - and Radcliffe makes the most of his character's occasional outbursts that reveal a wounded heart.

He delivers a near flawless accent, gelling effectively with his co-stars against the picturesque backdrops of Adelaide and Kangaroo Island.

The spectre of terminal illness casts a fleeting shadow over the second half of the film, but director Rod Hardy doesn't dwell on the pain.

As coming of age stories go, December Boys is a rather gentle and breezy affair, with little turmoil or conflict, and most of the dramatic interludes are neatly resolved within minutes, like chapters in Noonan's book.

DVD Extras: Additional scenes.

Rating: Three out of five.

Chaos (Cert 15, 102 mins, Lions Gate Home Entertainment (UK) Ltd, Thriller/Action, also available to buy DVD £15.99) Starring: Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe, Wesley Snipes, Henry Czerny, Nicholas Lea, Justine Waddell, Jessica Steen.

The title of writer-director Tony Giglio's heist thriller may imply frenetic, breathless action but nothing could be further from the truth - the chaos in question is the mathematical theory that behind every series of seemingly random events lies a pattern.

In the case of Giglio's film, that pattern is: mediocre set piece, Jason Statham growling, Ryan Phillippe solving the next piece of the puzzle, clearly sign-posted twist.

Statham plays disgraced detective Quentin Conners, who is suspended after a tense stand-off between police and a car-jacker on the Pearl Street Bridge culminates in tragedy.

When a criminal mastermind called Lorenz (Snipes) lays siege to the American Global Bank, and refuses to negotiate with anyone other than Conners, the bruiser is hastily ushered back into active service, with rookie detective Shane Dekker (Phillippe) monitoring his every move.

The heist takes a bizarre twist and Conners enlists the help of pals Detective Teddy Galloway (Waddell) and Detective Vincent Durano (Lea) to unmask Lorenz and an even greater conspiracy.

Chaos adds nothing to a well-worn genre, traversing familiar territory as the game of cat and mouse between Conners and Lorenz reaches its inevitable conclusion. Statham struts manfully through each plot hole with his usual lack of charisma, adopting a wandering American accent that should surely concern someone as bright as Phillippe's idealistic investigator.

Snipes chews scenery while Waddell, Lea and co seem content to lurk in the background. The opening heist sequence is well orchestrated but a subsequent motorcycle chase lacks acceleration and excitement, building to a denouement that surprises only the characters.

DVD Extras: Director commentary.

Rating: Three out of five.