Federal policeman, Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns to his home town after decades away and gets drawn into a murder mystery involving a group of people that he grew up with. His return is not a welcome one and this sheds a light on the somewhat backward ways of the small rural Victorian town. Falk’s sudden departure all those years ago left many unanswered questions.

Throughout the film, those riddles are answered. Staying way clear of clunker clues that would invalidate the proceedings, the script is taut and gives information in clever and believable ways. It rewards those paying attention but doesn’t require so much diligence that you lose touch with its inherent beauty. The casting and their actions are also on point

The film looks magnificent and the early establishing shots let you know in no uncertain terms that this is an isolated town and one that has seen better days. The drought has almost brought the town and its inhabitants to their knees but they are built of durable stock and this strength plays into the story. It’s accomplished works like this that should help to bring the public back to the cinema and judging from the almost full house on the session we went to, it is already working its charms.

Rob Hudson
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When Falk reluctantly agrees to stay and investigate the crime, he opens up an old wound – the death of 17-year-old Ellie Deacon. Falk begins to suspect these two crimes, separated by decades, are connected. As he struggles to prove not only Luke’s innocence but also his own, Falk finds himself pitted against the prejudice towards him and pent-up rage of a terrified community.

The Dry is directed by Robert Connolly and stars Eric Bana, Genevieve O’Reilly, Keir O’Donnell, John Polson, Julia Blake, Bruce Spence, Matt Nable, William Zappa, James Frecheville, Joe Klocek, Claude Scott-Mitchell, Sam Corlett, BeBe Bettencourt and Miranda Tapsell.

The Dry releases in Australia in cinemas on January 1, 2021.
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