Continuing our trend of watching recent movies that aren’t well-known, this week’s rental was The Dry. An Australian feature from 2020 that brings a lawman (Eric Bana) back to his childhood hometown to attend a funeral revolving around a devastating and brutally tragic crime. The trip brings back memories for him and the town, of another death that happened 20 years prior. All of this blends together in an investigation of the present interwoven with flashbacks of past events as the case slowly unfolds.
And I mean slowly. The film is evenly paced, but it takes its time looking into various events, places, and the locals. Not to say that it’s drawn out or drags, but there are no quick cuts, it just allows the story to play out in a more natural way than what we’re used to seeing. Some will find that boring to sit through, but it held our attention throughout.
The townspeople are real characters, some stereotypes, some counter-stereotypes, and some deeply drawn. Of note is Bruce Spence best known as the off-kilter Gyrocopter pilot in The Road Warrior, who gets the chance to play a small but legitimately serious role for a change, and he does a fine job. As does Julia Blake, who plays his wife. Another actor that stood out to me was Keir O'Donnell, who plays a police sergeant who reminded me quite a bit of Jamie, the guy from the progressive commercials. Not that the role was played for laughs (none are), but just because of his naivety.
Sound and video wise there’s nothing that stands out. The barren, dry landscape is accentuated by the intentionally bleak colors captured by the movie. The soundtrack was just 5.1 DTS, and while it didn’t stand out in any way, dialog was always clear even with the Australian accents.
One thematic element worth noting: Given the background of the movie there were numerous opportunities for the filmmakers to lecture the audience about certain topics. However, they showed remarkable restraint, and there wasn’t any pedantic preaching by any of the characters. Some may find this a refreshing difference from so many of today’s Hollywood productions.
Overall, this was a fairly good film, but not outstanding. For anyone looking for a drama mixed with mystery, and who doesn’t mind watching something that leisurely reaches a conclusion, this is worth a watch. For anyone looking for a fast-paced or action-oriented flick, you’re advised to pass it by.
Scott
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