JINDABYNE (2006)

Director: Ray Lawrence

Writer: Raymond Carver, Beatrix Christian

Gabriel Byrne as Stewart
Laura Linney as Claire
Also Max Cullen, Chris Haywood, Deborra-Lee Furness

Cementing his position as Australia's Terrence Mallick, Lawrence returns with only his 3rd film in 20 years. Like Bliss and Lantana before it, Jindabyne is a deeply thoughtful piece, where deep undercurrents of tension bubble up to the surface slowly, creating richly textured characters and relationships. This film is the darkest yet for Lawrence, and the slowest, which at time grates. It is also too long. But the story - a simple affair of a fishing trip which becomes much more when a body is discovered in a river - is still one worth seeing, carried through by the combination of beautiful photography and great performances in powerfully confronting situations. Not Lawrence's best - but a good film nonetheless.