Strangerland

After their free spirited, too mature for her age and nubile daughter Lily (a walking Lolita cliché) takes off with her brother into the desert the already unstable marriage falls prey to resurfacing old resentment. Nobody in the small sleepy outback town knows where she has disappeared off too yet many seem to have had some involvement. As the movie progresses we see the mother (Kidman) fall further in desperation induced mental frailty while dad (Fiennes) holds her responsible for their daughters 'adventurous nature' so to speak. Although it starts off well with what seems to be a wholesome plot, either a mystery or a psychological thriller, it lingers and resumes in exploring the relationship between mainly the parents and the towns people. Some over-dramatization doesn't do the plot any good and by the end it leaves you hanging. It lacks a firm direction and goes on tangents instead, many scenic shots, dramatic outburst and at last an unsatisfactory ending. It is the indecisiveness that irritates. When presenting a strong leading plot line it needs to be followed through, at least partly. Fiennes and Kidmans' performances are impeccable despite the failing script.

I love Nicole. One of the best of her time. She normally chose good movies to be part of. Not this one, though. Can't understand what made her accept being part of this...thing. It started out well, but soon loses pace and logic. I couldn't see it thoroughly. Nothing happens. Ridiculous scenes...even sex scenes. Strange and ridiculous. The actors, couldn't deliver cause there's nothing to. A lot of scenes should be cut off, cause they don't make any sense at all. And the end, gosh, deplorable. Deplorable ending. I can't understand what's the point of this movie? For what purpose was it made? And what about the title? Strangerland?! My God! Awful!This movie could have been good.The ambiance, the actors...what a waste of talent and of my time!

Is this a drawn out domestic drama or an under-written mystery? It doesn't matter. Just glad I don't have to see these people any more. They were far too long on the screen. Haven't seen a hospital without doctors or nurses before! Admired actors for giving it their all.

Trouble is stirred up in a stifling hot Australian desert town after the two children of new arrivals Nicole Kidman and Joseph Fiennes go missing...and everyone who came into contact with them becomes a suspect in their disappearance. Well-acted study of stunted small town lives, with Nicole Kidman particularly gripping as the sad, desperate mother of the kids (a promiscuous teenage girl and her restless younger brother). Some of the drama has a prickly edge, and the dialogue is strong, however the supporting characters are not a terribly interesting lot, while the simmering tempers in this dust bowl town are not used to heighten the tension (director Kim Farrant treats it as subtext, preferring to focus on the embattled married couple). Repetitive aerial shots of the mountain terrain and surrounding desert grow tiresome (arty yet unrevealing), but the complicated scenario is enough of a draw for admirers of character studies. ** from ****

A film that for its entirety is crying out for a satisfying ending to make all that has come to pass worthwhile, Strangerland fails at its final hurdle and becomes a tale with huge potential that remains left in the dusty plains of the outback wherein the stories mysteries lie.

Strangerland is most certainly a unique disappearance mystery, a strange hybrid of domestic drama moulded into the intrigue of just what happened to the two Parker children, last seen wandering off into the great unknowns of outback Australia, but despite consistently threatening to become a great addition to the recently mostly barren Australian cinema classic handbook, Kim Farrant's film just can't gel into something totally recommendable or overly memorable.

First time director Farrant does show glimpses of a filmmaking talent, her images of the land and direction of some of her actors is of a high order and Strangerland's tone is often nerve rackingly eerie and there's an air of dread that permeates through most of film. From Maddison Brown's performance as promiscuous teen Lili, the town of Nathgari itself and the looming shadow of the barren landscape that surrounds our characters mixed with Keefus Ciancia's atmospheric score, all combine to give Strangerland a unique identity worthy of lead Nicole Kidman's committed turn.

In the doldrums for some time now it's great to see Kidman showcase her considerable talents once more with a layered turn as the conflicted mother of the lost children Catherine Parker. Kidman's performance is both brave and unflattering and she's a highlight of Strangerland's ensemble. Ably supported by the evergreen Hugo Weaving as the local detective, Kidman elevates the film despite the overplayed presence of a distracting Joseph Fiennes who once again reminds us as to why his been largely forgotten about since his appearance in Shakespeare in Love. Young Australian performer Meyne Wyatt is also worthy of a mention in his role as young Aboriginal local Burtie.

Strangerland has moments; it also sucks you into its mysterious centre only to drop the bundle in the films last act. If Strangerland had in fact had a better catch on its hook it could've quite easily become one of, if not the Australian film of the year but as it stands it's going to be remembered only for a timely reminder that Nicole Kidman can in fact act and lead a film. A disappointing result for a film that just might have been.

2 ½ high quality skate parks out of 5