This movie just came to the US and it was playing at the theater where I work. I wasn't really planning to see it because the poster looked pretty generic, but after watching the trailer I changed my mind because it looked very well shot and I have yet to see a bad Australian film.
Man, am I glad I watched this. EVERY aspect of this movie is so well handled. The cinematography, directing, writing and acting are all so well done without being too flashy. It all fits with the story being told.
Every single performance was great. I especially enjoyed Aaron Pederson's understated, tormented performance. Understated is actually an accurate adjective for all of this film. The only performance I thought was mediocre was the actress who played May. This was most likely the casting, but I would've liked her English to be more broken. I also felt she was a little too confident for the position she was in.
The writing is really good. The story is nothing revolutionary but it's simple and effective. The movie is definitely slow but I was never bored. What I really loved was the dialogue. There were moments when it was very powerful but never heavy handed. I think the wonderful performances and subtle direction assisted in that. Also, I loved Josh's character arc. His arc, as well as the slow build up, made the climax SO satisfying.
The cinematography was gorgeous but subtle. Expressive but never too flashy. Probably the best aerial shots I've personally seen in a movie. The shootout is so well shot and directed. Really got me going.
All in all I would definitely recommend this to a patient movie-goer. I had a really great experience and enjoyed every second. This score is also something to be mentioned, beautiful and emotional.
