Delta Goodrem
Dana Randall
Overview
A fiercely independent pilot fighting to keep her family business afloat starts to fall for the man sent by corporate to ground her operation forever.
Cast
11 people
Reviews
7 min readThe View from 500 Feet
I’ve seen this movie before. Not this movie, exactly—same plot, different actors, different coast. A woman with a small business, a man with a spreadsheet, a sunset, a kiss.
The rom-com playbook is as reliable as a seaplane’s pre-flight checklist, and Love Is in the Air ticks every box with the enthusiasm of a pilot who’s done this route a hundred times. What surprised me, though, was how much I didn’t mind the familiarity. Maybe it’s the Queensland light, or Delta Goodrem’s smile, or the way the film treats its own predictability like a running joke.
Or maybe I’m just a sucker for stories about people who love their work—even when that work is flying tourists to a coral cay for the tenth time that week.
The film opens with Dana Randall (Goodrem) at the controls of her family’s seaplane, Fullerton Airways, banking low over the Whitsunday Islands. The shot is pure postcard: water so blue it looks Photoshopped, the plane’s shadow skimming the waves like a dragonfly. It’s the kind of image that makes you want to book a ticket to Australia, and the film knows it.
Director Adrian Powers, working with cinematographer Tony O’Loughlan, leans hard into the scenery, shooting in 8K Vista Vision to capture every ripple in the water and every crease in Goodrem’s pilot’s cap. The drone shots are so lush they feel like a tourism ad, and in a way, they are—this is a film that sells the idea of escape as much as it sells romance.
But here’s the thing about postcards: they’re static. They don’t show the wind, the noise, the way a seaplane’s engine rattles your teeth when you’re trying to land in a cross-breeze. Love Is in the Air tries to have it both ways—glossy and gritty, a fantasy of small-town life where the biggest problem is whether the corporate guy from London will shut down your airstrip. The film’s most honest moment comes early, when Dana’s mechanic friend Nikki (Steph Tisdell) deadpans, “You’re not a pilot, you’re a tour guide with a death wish.” It’s a line that cuts through the saccharine, a reminder that this isn’t Top Gun—it’s a rom-com where the stakes are a family business, not global security.
And yet, the film can’t resist underlining the point, as if worried we won’t get it. The dialogue is littered with airplane puns, so many that the characters occasionally stop to groan at their own jokes. (“That was a plane terrible pun,” William, the corporate guy, says at one point.
I winced.)
Goodrem, to her credit, commits to the bit. This is her first lead role in a feature film since 2005, and she throws herself into it with the same earnestness she brought to her music career. There’s a moment early on where she’s arguing with William in the hangar, her hands on her hips, her pilot’s cap slightly askew.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsDelta Goodrem Soars in Love Is in the Air—Her First Lead Role in Nearly 20 Years
Delta Goodrem’s return to the big screen in Love Is in the Air (2023) is turning heads—not just for its sun-drenched Queensland backdrop, but for the pop star’s long-awaited leap into a leading role. latestnetflix.com's take is that After nearly two decades away from feature films (her last lead was in 2005’s Hating Alison Ashley), Goodrem trades stadium tours for seaplane controls in this Australian rom-com, proving she can charm audiences on screen as effortlessly as she does on stage.
Directed by Adrian Powers, the film follows Goodrem’s Dana Randall, a feisty seaplane pilot running her family’s struggling aviation business in tropical North Queensland. Enter Joshua Sasse as William Mitchell, the corporate suit sent to evaluate—and potentially shut down—her company. What starts as a clash of personalities (and business models) quickly spirals into an unexpected romance, complete with scenic flights over turquoise waters and plenty of banter. It’s a formula familiar to fans of Hallmark or Netflix’s rom-com stable, but with a distinctly Aussie twist—and a soundtrack that almost delivers on Goodrem’s musical prowess 
.
A Pop Star’s Risky Career Pivot
Goodrem’s casting was a calculated gamble. While she’s a household name in Australia thanks to her music career (and a decade-long stint on The Voice Australia), her filmography is sparse. Love Is in the Air marks her first lead role since 2005, and early reactions suggest her star power was the movie’s secret weapon. Letterboxd users, for instance, admitted the plot was "the exact same" as a dozen other rom-coms—but Goodrem’s presence made it worth watching . That said, some fans felt the film missed a trick by not featuring one of her original songs over the credits, a rare misstep for a project so tied to her brand .
Behind the scenes, the film’s creative team leaned into Goodrem’s strengths. Powers, who also co-wrote the script with Katharine E. McPhee and Caera Bradshaw, crafted a role that plays to her on-screen charisma while keeping the stakes low enough for a lighthearted romp . The Queensland setting wasn’t just eye candy; it was a nod to Goodrem’s roots (she’s a Sydney native) and a selling point for local tourism. The production reportedly wrapped in 2022, with Netflix snapping up global rights and releasing it on the platform in September 2023 .
The Supporting Cast: Familiar Faces and Fresh Talent
While Goodrem and Sasse (best known for Galavant and The Nevers) carry the romantic tension, the supporting cast adds depth—and humor—to the film. Roy Billing, a veteran of Australian TV and film, plays Dana’s gruff but lovable father, while Steph Tisdell, a rising Indigenous comedian, brings sharp wit as her quick-tongued best friend 
. The ensemble also includes Simon McLachlan, Daniela Pizzirani, Mia Grunwald, Hugh Parker, Dante Surace, and Craig Walker, rounding out the small-town vibe with a mix of character actors and newcomers .
Notably absent? Any major drama or behind-the-scenes gossip. Unlike many rom-coms that leak on-set spats or reshoots, Love Is in the Air seems to have been a smooth production. The biggest "controversy" might be the film’s reliance on rom-com tropes—though even critics admit the chemistry between Goodrem and Sasse sells the predictable plot .
Streaming Success and What’s Next
Netflix’s decision to release Love Is in the Air in late September 2023 positioned it as a cozy autumn watch, and early viewer metrics suggest it found an audience. While the platform hasn’t released official numbers, the film’s premise—a plucky underdog (literally, in this case) fighting to save her business—resonates with fans of feel-good stories. For Goodrem, the project could be a stepping stone to more acting roles, though she’s yet to confirm any future film or TV projects.
As for Powers, the director’s next move remains unclear. His previous work, A Royal in Paradise (2022), was a made-for-TV rom-com, so Love Is in the Air represents a step up in scale—if not originality. Rumor has it he’s attached to another Netflix project, but details are scarce .
The Verdict: A Crowd-Pleaser with Caveats
Love Is in the Air won’t rewrite the rom-com rulebook, but it doesn’t need to. Goodrem’s star power, the lush Australian scenery, and a cast that clearly enjoys their roles make it an easy watch. Whether it’s a one-off experiment or the start of a new chapter for Goodrem remains to be seen, but for now, it’s a reminder that sometimes, all a familiar story needs is the right leading lady.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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