Offing David is a low budget Australian crime and mystery thriller, which I have been lucky enough to see today.
The first thing I noticed when I started to watch was the fantastic score from Joao Camacho, which provided a fitting backdrop to the film throughout. The opening credits for the film were very cleverly done, using a range of images simulating a mobile phone (which becomes a recurring theme in the film), and I knew I was hooked right away. The overall plot of the film was also superb. There were surprises and twists all the way through, that really kept me guessing as to what would happen next.
Richie Harkham was brilliant in one of the lead roles as Adam, showing off a range of emotion, and really getting into his sometimes-volatile, always interesting character. He was probably the film's stand out performer for me. Adam J. Yeend was also terrific in the other lead role of Matt, and he seemed to really embrace what he had to do, which made his performance even more believable. Asha Kuerten and Brendan Clearkin also gave strong performances, both adding to th drama and mystery of the plot. Mention must also go to Nathaniel Buzolic in the titular role of David, who managed to pull off a great performance. He even managed to have three hand stunt doubles! The directing and editing of the film fell to Jeffrey Bays, who did a superb job. As a director, he managed to get the best from his actors, and create a really strong film. As an editor, he managed to pull it all together into an honest, true spectacle. He made use of a variety of excellent filming techniques and scene transitions, which gave the film an extra touch of class. I was also a big fan of the referrals to David's phone running through the film, and the different techniques used to do so.
Overall, I thought the film was brilliant. The use of classic techniques, great acting and editing, a brilliant soundtrack and a general feeling of honest filmmaking all made for top quality viewing. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you to the director Jeffrey Bays. After looking for the film for a couple of months with no success, I eventually got in contact with him, and he was kind enough to send me the copy that I watched today. I know that the production company are trying to make the film available on amazon for fans, and I know I'll be buying a copy when it's there. I hope you all will too.
