Holy Smoke (1999)

Move over Joel and Ethan Coen, there’s another pair of talented siblings making independent arthouse movies. Yes, celebrated director Jane Campion collaborated with her sister Anna Campion on the screenplay of Holy Smoke! (1999). Shot in India and Australia, the American flick will appeal to viewers all over the world due to its coverage of nudity! Entrancingly curvaceous Kate Winslet plays a well-educated Aussie named Ruth Barron. When she goes searching for the meaning of life, she finds it with a cult that worships a multiple-monkey-headed god. It isn’t long before Ruth’s parents (Julie Hamilton and Tim Robertson) lure her home and have deprogrammer P.J. Waters (Harvey Keitel) attempt to bring their daughter down to earth. But all too soon, Ms. Barron is the one leading Mr. Waters on a search for the meaning of lust during their three days (and nights) alone. The bad news: Harvey follows up the full-frontal streak he started in Campion’s The Piano (1993). The great news: Kate keeps right up when it comes to taking it all off. After flaunting her bra-clad cleavage, Ms. Winslet lets us see her big bare breasts and bush in two different scenes. Holy smoke indeed! The R rated film also includes Pam Grier, Daniel Wyllie, Samantha Murray, and Sophie Lee’s leopard-print skivvies! A review in Variety suggested, “Mainstream audiences may be unwilling to surrender to the pull of a unique journey that strips away its characters’ masks and refuses easy solutions…” Hey Variety, you had us at “pull” and “strips!”