Dawn

The previews and reviews for this film had me expecting a thriller with a woman and her young daughter on the run from someone. Indeed, the film starts out in that fashion, however as the story evolves you realize the mystery is more complex and this film is not your traditional chase movie.

The backstory isn't really explained in detail until nearly the last 20 minutes of the film, but perplexing inconsistencies in some of the story sequences will lead most viewers to start piecing together the dark interaction between Dawn and her daughter. Having figured this out, the director keeps you hooked by keeping the reason for Dawn's flight hidden from viewers until nearly the very end.

In one sense this is a compelling enough reason to watch the film through to the end, which is obviously what the director intended. The disappointment though, is that in many instances I found the behavior exhibited by various characters including Dawn to be unrealistic. In just one example, Dawn has a sexual episode that given all of the circumstances, struck me as totally improbable. This use of artistic license may appeal to some, but if at the end of the day you are sitting there thinking, "well that would never happen," then it spoils the story at least for me.

Just some moral stuff for kids.A girl who gets trapped by diseobyeing her mother and consequences.Just because its tragic does not mean it's great

Touch is a highly original psychological thriller. After a traumatic event, a mother, Dawn (Leeanna Walsman – Manny Lewis) is on the run with her daughter, Steph (Onor Nottle). She is pursued by a frantic ex-cop (Matt Day - Rake, Doing Time for Patsy Cline). Quite what is driving Dawn, we are initially unsure but there is a persistent sense of danger. She might be a victim but she behaves unpredictably.

This is a finely-crafted, classy production in all respects. The image-making is superb, from haunting vistas of the ancient rolling Adelaide hills of South Australia to claustrophobic scenes in interiors of cars and motel rooms.

The lead performances of Walsman and Day are magnificent and they are particularly well supported by young Nottle as the daughter and Greg Hatton as a cop. The soundtrack is varied and includes local songs which lend authenticity and help create unique moods and atmosphere.

Touch is often disturbingly dark, powerfully visceral, troubling and raunchy. It is a puzzling mystery with a powerful emotional resolution prompting comparison to the classic Australian psychological thriller, Lantana.

In Touch, an intriguing and discomfiting story about parental love is steadily and artfully unfolded with depth, sincerity and intelligence. The rendering of the emotional landscape has the ring of truth. 4 stars