The Square

As one of those who saw the premiere of this film at the Sydney Film Festival, I can assure you if I was on the "edgerton" of my seat, it was in disbelief as implausibility piled upon implausibility until the film collapsed under their weight.

The film started well, and for a while I was happy to go along with the well-worn Noir formula of the small crime that goes wrong, and all attempts to cover it up only make things worse for the illicit lovers, and the crimes get bigger and bigger. But they also get stupider and stupider, until you just feel your intelligence is being insulted. If, as bilingizard seems to be suggesting, black humour of the order of the Coen Brothers was being attempted, then I suggest some wit (other than that involving the fate of the dogs) should have been attempted. Nor do I think David Roberts was an acceptable lead. The character was dour and unpleasant from the beginning (making it hard to care what happened to him and his paramour) and the performance added no light or shade or leavenings of humanity.

I agree it looks good, and the direction is stylish. But the plot is not just full of holes, but sinkholes that suddenly open up under the feet of the characters, and the audience.

It helps to know absolutely nothing about "The Square" before watching it, just so that it can hit you harder. Nash Edgerton's film depicts an affair between construction foreman Ray (David Roberts) and housewife Carla (Claire van der Boom) which leads to disastrous events. The mud created by the rain in some scenes is nothing compared to what is happening as part of the plot. Many of the shots are not lit entirely, adding to the unpleasant feeling.

Without a doubt, the movie portrays a much grittier side of Australia than we often see in movies. The land down under is often associated with Crocodile Dundee or Aboriginal culture. What "The Square" depicts is closer to what we see in Guy Ritchie's movies, except that the events here are no laughing matter. This is as gut-busting as can be, especially with what happens at the end. But don't get me wrong, it's definitely worth seeing...unless you have a weak stomach.

Also starring Joel Edgerton, Anthony Hayes, Peter Phelps and Bill Hunter.

The action in The Square takes place in a small Australian town, a town so small that everyone knows everyone at least casually, and when a party is arranged most of the residents are invited.

Two of these residents are middle aged construction foreman Ray (David Roberts) and a hairdresser in her early 20s named Carla (Claire van der Boom – an awesome stripper name if there ever was one!). Ray and Carla are married… but not to each other.

Things start going wrong early, but on a smaller scale. Ray and Carla intend to leave their respective spouses and skip town, but first they need cash. To come up with the cash they each come up with a plan, Ray cuts a side deal with a shonky contractor, and Carla's plan involves theft and just a pinch of arson.

"It's not like anyone will get hurt", she reasons. How wrong she is.

The Square is as dark as films come, everyone in the film is varying degrees of shonky otherwise they don't get any lines. No room for the honest here Mate. But this is a decidedly non-Hollywood noir, the protagonists aren't gangsters or hit men or criminal geniuses, they are tow-truck drivers, hairdressers and local slobs.

As the ever growing bodycount envelops both the innocent and the not so… more and more are intertwined in an ever more complex story that should have begun and ended with Ray and Carla skipping town. Alas once the paranoia, mistrust and guilt leads to cover up, murder and betrayal no-one in The Square is destined for a happy ending.

As a viewer I kept thinking "Now how are you gonna get out of this?" and "Don't do that you dickhead", but the actions of those involved never stray into cartoon or the illogical – at least to them. It might take a leap of faith to pretend all the events in the film happen over a short time frame, but it isn't beyond the stretch of the imagination to think most of this stuff could happen.

I just hope it never happens near me.

Final Rating – 6 / 10. An effective and intricately drawn drama that will keep you guessing and involved until the very end, even once you realise there cannot possibly be a happy outcome.

Aussies aren't known for their film making. After seeing "Not Quite Hollywood" I'm not surprised! But, they really do do some impressive films "Wolf Creek", "Storm Warning" to name a few. Now, "The Square" is another worthy film.

"The Square" ultimately has a moral in it. Don't have a bloody affair! It's simple and yet after affair related films such as "Fatal Attraction", "Dear Wife" we still get idiots doing the dirty on their poor faithful partners! (Always men as well, just an observation). Now down to The Square's realistic, raw directing it may just drill this idea into people with adultery on their minds.

The screenplay, although wildly in-your-face is actually presented as quite believable. the acting is also quite passable and the sub plot with the dogs is so romantic (I say sub-plot, more of a side dish). The Square can be quite shocking at times and the ending left me feeling quite flourished.

I don't think The Square should disappoint you, some might find the pacing a bit lazy but the sharp screenplay should keep you on edge. Give the Aussies a chance mate.

"The Square" opens with two parked cars at a scenic overlook. In one of them, two agitated dogs observe the other vehicle where their respective owners, Ray and Carla, are engaged in some steamy extra-marital gymnastics. When Carla returns home, she spots her rough diamond husband hiding a bag of cash in the ceiling of their washroom. She decides to steal it and run off with her lover to begin a new life together. Construction site manager Ray declines to go along with her scheme at first, anticipating the fallout will foul up his sweet workplace kickback scam, but Carla's charms prove too tempting. The lovers hire themselves a dubious partner, lash together a creaky plan and set it in motion, only to meet with a firestorm of foul-ups, suspicion and terror.

"The Square" shares several themes with "Body Heat" and "Blood Simple" - the chief differences being its gritty realism and fast pacing. It also boasts a fine array of support roles which provide numerous possibilities for misunderstandings and betrayal among the various conspirators, victims and bystanders as their lives spiral out of control. By the time the dust has cleared at the conclusion, it seems the phrase 'ratcheting up the tension' might have been coined for 'The Square'. Nash Edgerton directs his brother Joel's tight script, extracting intense, believable performances from his actors. It all adds up to an impressive modern Indie film noir.