Imagine a standing ovation, that starts off slow, with one person somewhere in the middle of the audience, getting up from their seat. Everyone looks at this one person and are then themselves, encouraged to raise slowly, applauding just as passionately. Then, the entire audience erupts in a roaring cheer. The Dry deserves this type of loud, round-of-applause, and bloody hell does it make me proud to be Australian. With cinema like this, we can take over Hollywood!

The Dry takes us to rural Victoria, during one of its worst dry spells. Aaron (Eric Bana) makes his way back to his home town after the supposed murder-suicide of his old mate, Luke (Martin Dingle Wall), his wife and their young son. We are also made aware of an old alleged murder of young Ellie (BeBe Bettencourt), a girl young Aaron (Joe Klocek) once fancied, and was accused of murdering by only her family themselves. Throughout the movie, we are made to believe these two cases are linked. Aaron finds himself digging deep into the evidence that makes its way onto the surface, to solve what Luke’s parents believe is not the actions of their son.
What I love about any movie like this, is that everyone is a suspect. It’s the kind of murder mystery, who-done-it style, that is written so delicately, that the reason you’re sucked in, is because every time another character appears and/or reappears, and more information comes out of that scene, you’re forced to believe, maybe that particular person in focus at that moment, is the one that did it. The process repeats with every scene and every character. It’s elements such as these that make these films so tasty. It’s one of those quiet films, with barely any background noise, because it demands your attention on what is in front of you.
The acting in this is outstanding. Though Bana’s character is personally attached to the supposed killer, and faces discrimination himself whilst being in town, he remains neutral, as an officer, whether off-duty or not, should be. Big thumbs up to Matt Noble for his supporting role as Ellie’s brother, Grant. But a big congrats to Keir O’Donnell, who plays the town’s only cop, Raco. His character is supposed to seem inexperienced, and they chose this casting right.

My only real dilemma was that they hyped up the link between Ellie’s death, and this present crime, only for it to be for nothing. I don’t believe that was the intention, but that is how it came across and it is hard not to notice it. I really can’t fault it anywhere else.

Slow and steady has really won this race. The Dry will keep you wondering, while being in awe of what Australian cinema can produce.

Rating: 4.5/5