The Dry is an Australian film based on the novel by Jane Harper and set in an Australian country town.
Federal Agent Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns to where he grew up to bury a childhood friend, Luke. His relatives want answers on why the family were shot and suspect money as a motive. It’s a place where everyone knows each other and the ongoing drought has impacted the farms.
The story intertwines from past and present. The childhood story makes more sense and has a better arc to conclusion. One of his female classmates was found in the river dead. He became the main suspect after leaving town soon afterwards – arising to rumors that persist to the present day.
Aaron teams up with the only cop in town to investigate the recent murders. What looks like a murder over a property land grab, turns out to be more complicated.
Gradually the town members are eliminated as suspects. There aren’t enough breadcrumbs to let you know where the present-day story is going.
The Dry is an above par Australian film – with an ending that gets a bit messy.
Release date: 1 January 2021
#TheDryMovie
While covering some of the main aspects, this review is a bit short to comprehend an outstanding film.
The cinematography for a start. There are many overhead shots of the drought-stricken surrounding wheat belt (shot in the Wimmera) that provides context for the locals and their dry as dust responses.
There is little background music too, except for a very appropriate rendering of “Under the Milky Way Tonight”. by one of the young girls.
Eric Bana is admirably restrained in his dialogue (as was Aaron Perdersen, in the Mystery Road series, if you’re a fan). Please don’t expect loquacious conversation between the actors.
Don’t miss it.
Sorry, but I’m going to swim against the tide here…
THE DRY would honestly be one of the worst, slow-as-a-turtle, poorly acted and unimaginatively scripted movies I have seen. Like, EVER. Eric Bana was literally the only half-way-decent thing about this boring-as-watching-paint-DRY film.
Even the CGI effects in the fire scene towards the end when the guy pours petrol on himself were soooo fake and sub-standard it was cringe-worthy. Two thumbs down to this Australian film industry embarrassment.
Glen – you certainly running against the tide of reviews. I really enjoyed. Book & movie. I was asked by a friend who hadn’t read the book, only saw the movie. ‘Did Aaron do anything further when he found Ellie’s diary disclosing the abuse by her father!’
From memory – it was a sudden ending which may suggest the start of Book 2
I have just come home from watching this movie with family members and we all loved it. The cinematography was beautiful showing our harsh country in a severe drought. Eric Bana was true to the book’s characterisation of Aaron Falk. I love Australian movies. Those cliched characters someone mentioned are still out there in real life. As I had read the book I was able to enjoy it without getting too anxious. Worth risking Covid to see.
I saw it today and agree. It moved a beat too slowly and some of the acting made me cringe. Stereotypes dominated. Thank god for Eric Bana.
Also, the murder was in February and everyone at the funeral wore winter clothing. This isn’t important, it was just a little observation.