Solid Air

Seeking refuge, compulsive gambler Robert Houston Junior comes home to his estranged father, Robert Senior. Discovering a lapsed compensation claim for asbestosis, Junior resolves to pursue the case, encountering the young, ambitious lawyer Nicola Blyth who tells him he must produce a witness to testify on his father's behalf. Beneath Junior's altruism lies an uncomfortable truth. In debt and on the run from wealthy businessman, John Doran, following a disastrous loss at the poker table, Junior's only hope is to get his hands on his father's settlement. But hope, like luck, is in short supply. As father and son set out to find the witness, suspicion turns to torment as Robert learns of his son's motives and the true cost of Junior's betrayal is revealed.

Directed by May Miles Thomas, Solid Air leans on a strong ensemble — Maurice Roëves, Brian McCardie, Kathy Kiera Clarke — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2003.