The Dry: Die Lügen der Vergangenheit

Eric Bana plays a federal cop drawn back to his home town where he is persuaded to investigate the massacre of a family apparently by an old friend. His presence is largely unwelcome though as he is believed to be responsible for the death of a girl 20 years earlier.

Set in a tinder dry Australian township, this is an assured, solid mystery thriller which cleverly displays possible suspects so you never really sure what the answer is and where it lies as it twists and weaves as Bana finds new pieces of evidence. Bana is sharp and relatively reserved throughout with a good supporting cast rekindling old romances or wanting him gone for the crime he allegedly committed. It is all set in this dry world - you can almost feel the heat - reminiscent of the seventies Australian film renaissance films and particularly of course Picnic at Hanging Rock. I was particularly pleased as well that in the end the solutions to both crimes are laid properly bare, with the main crime featuring a particularly impressive piece of stunt / effects work to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. Good film.

There is something uniquely Australian about this film. I think it's the overall country feel. A small country town, struggling with drought, small town syndrome and past mysteries that dog community members - especially one who has just returned after 20 years absence. A really good Australian ensemble hold together the intriguing storyline. And just when you decide it's bleeding obvious who the obsessive killer is and what links two crimes 20 years apart, they throw in some extra ingredients to throw the viewer off the scent. That's the part I actually quite enjoyed. I love this sort of movie that relies on great acting, a solid story and characters in an unforgiving outback setting. Really good work here.

I saw this without watching the trailer or reading anything bah it.

Eric Bana and a mystery movie set in the dry Australian outbacks were suffice to pull me in.

The film moves at a slow pace but it never gets boring.

Picnic at Hanging Rock, Flashbacks of a Fool, Chinatown, etc came to my mind while viewing this.

The story is very engaging. Two mysterious murders to be solved, and both of them cause ripples in the entire small town. How the past and present intertwine is captivating.

Good solid package. Acting, cinematography, story, balance, musical score... all come together seamlessly.

Only thing missing was a definitive ending. There is enough information to wrap things up 100%. But still, there was enough room for another scene or two just to round it off. If they spent 2 more minutes, I'd had rounded it off to an 8. Not enough credit given to Aussie movies these days. But not surprised really as the bulk are cheesy horrish crap.

This one is worth a watch.