The Wonder of Simon Murphy

A “Mavis & Myrtle Productions Limited” FILM
WRITTEN BY Bridget Snelling

Meet fifty-six year old Simon Murphy. He’s always been hassled for being different and in a world where most people are striving to fit in, he stands out. Simon does a remarkable impersonation of Elvis Presley. When he dons his sequined jumpsuits and belts out tunes outside his run-down music store, strangers think he’s “weird,” his friends call him “eccentric,” but to doctors he’s “gifted.”

Simon has Aspergers with savant syndrome – a rare form of autism that enables brilliant recall – in Simon’s case recall for Elvis trivia only.

Between performing his obsessive rituals (like the fact that he has to drink Earl Grey tea at the same time every day from the same delicate china mug and can’t miss an episode of Days of Our Lives), Simon spends his life thinking, talking about and impersonating The King.

When Simon is invited to compete at the Oceania Elvis Convention in Wellington (the winner of which gets to compete in the World Competition in Memphis) he is excited! He was born to win this competition! But when he suddenly suffers a coronary and is hospitalised, it seems that his dreams are shattered.

Enter Simon’s dysfunctional nearest and dearest: his neighbour Fran, the eating-disorder afflicted single mother of 5-year-old Sam; his pot-smoking muso employee and store manager Stu; the local florist and subject of Simon’s covert affection Renee; and his recently separated and depressed G.P Dr Roy.

This unlikely troupe bands together to help Simon realise the life-long dream spurred by his unusual gift. The stage is set for a haphazard road trip to Wellington…and a journey to find the extraordinary inside each of them.