Australia, 1958. When a nine year old white girl is found murdered, police are quick to arrest illiterate Aborigine, Max Stuart. Under interrogation Max admits to the killing. With a legal system compromised by intimidation tactics, the skills of his two gifted but naïve defense lawyers are put to the test.

In the tradition of 1950s science fiction, a meteor crashes to earth and a toxic substance is released. A drifter captures some of the ooze and utilizes it to take control of the local town. The substance from another planet has cloning powers and its effect on the townsfolk has them develop religious sensibilities and a fixation for the drifter in this independent sci-fi comedy lensed in South Australia.

Rosie returns to her home city on the death of her father, a former policeman. His diaries hint at corruption, and she also receives hints and veiled threats which support her suspicions. Rosie puzzles about who he was, and about her early life and relationship to him.