2006, Australia
Crime, Drama, Mystery
READ THE REVIEW AT The Desert Sun.
When a men's fishing trip is interrupted by the discovery of a dead body, their troubles do not remain in the river with the corpse but follow them home. Ray Lawrence (Lantana) presents Raymond Carver's devastating short story, "So Much Water So Close to Home," with haunting results.
In the vast expanses of New South Wales, the land is as much a character as the people who live there. Ominous images of solitude and grand landscapes are cut by the occasional power line, as the territory is alternately disparaged and adored by its small population of caretakers.
When a close-knit group of men take their annual vacation, it is obviously a time of spiritual renewal and connection to the land, though this is never spoken. Their location is remote; their words are few. Upon the disturbing discovery of a young woman's body, they are shocked, but continue their retreat. The ramifications of these actions are shattering to both mind and home.
American Claire and her Irish husband Stewart -- one of the fishermen -- have built a life in this remote area of Australia. Their town of mostly white inhabitants neighbors one of aboriginal ancestry. This culmination of cultures is no melting pot. Everyone knows and acknowledges the others' traditions, but respect is lacking and interest weak towards neighboring affairs.
As the story breaks upon the men's return, Claire, the most recent outsider, begins to ask too many questions. Portrayed by the inimitable Laura Linney (The Squid and the Whale), Claire is ignorant of local customs and the rift between the two cultures, of which the murdered girl is a member of the neighboring society. Though outraged by her town's inability to communicate, Claire fails to recognize her own rejection of her husband's heritage.
Gabriel Byrne (Miller's Crossing) portrays Stewart with a fiery aggravation that simmers into a heated rage. Unaware or unwilling to come to terms with his own prejudice, he and the others wish to sweep the whole unfortunate incident under the rug. But as Claire continues to shake the dust, the town is forced to acknowledge more cobwebs than they knew existed.
Lawrence beautifully envelopes the region's troubled souls inside of a murder mystery within the great scar of an unhealed environment. As the characters become aware of what is ingrained within themselves, they must come to terms with their own reflections. Full of lingering imagery and worthy of poignant discussion, this film is brilliantly multifaceted in its presentation of a complex land and its people.