Strangerland

This film tells the story of a family that moves to a small town to escape from a dark past. Unfortunately their children goes missing, and in the search, it seems everyone has something to hide.

"Strangerland" depicts a mother who is in much distraught over the disappearance of her children. Nicole Kidman is very convincing as a very distressed mother, I empathise with her and feel so sorry for her pain and loss. The father, on the other hand, has a different approach to the circumstances, creating a stark contrast. The hunt for the missing children is long and less than fruitful, engaging me and making me hope for something good would happen soon. I think it's a heavy film with a heartbreaking and depressing story.

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 ****

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!

"Are we bad parents? Did I do something wrong?" Catherine (Kidman) and Matthew (Fiennes) are a normal, boring couple living in Australia. When Catherine wakes up one morning to find her two children are missing her world is rocked. They feel the police are not doing enough and take it upon themselves to look for them. When past history is revealed no one can be trusted. This is a very difficult movie to watch. The acting by Kidman is Oscar worthy and everyone else does hold their own against her. On the other hand the subject is gut wrenching and the movie is a little slow moving. It does keep you watching and interested though, both to see the end and for Kidman's performance. This is a good movie but nothing you can watch over and over and also one you really have to be in the mood for. Worth seeing for her acting if for no other reason. Overall, slow moving and hard to watch, but not a bad movie with one of the best performances by Kidman I have ever seen. I give this a B-.