There are smart films. And then there
are smaaart films, wink, wink. You know. The kind where you calmly,
wisely, nod and say, “Oh, yes, it was perfectly clear what was
going on.” After all, no one wants to be the first to say the
Emperor has no clothes. Typically, people who mention this kind of
film usually say something about slow burn, and that's something you
can honestly agree with. Slooow burn...like the pot left to simmer,
like an Ice Age receding, like....
You get the idea. Luckily, there are
still plenty of good reasons to approve of “Mystery Road.” It
makes no attempt to hide its
obvious roots in American cinema, notably the western, mainly because
it in no way diminishes the full-blooded, purely Australian
characters and bleak rural landscape they tear around in.
Detective Jay Swan (the astonishing
Aaron Pederson, here's hoping we get to see more of him) is a rookie
Aboriginal detective called
in to investigate the murder of a local, also Aboriginal
girl in the hometown he thought he'd escaped. He
may be inexperienced, but soon proves to be no slouch as he looks
into the crime while uncomfortably straddling two worlds. He is the
subject of barely concealed contempt of the all-white police force,
as well as the contempt of the indigenous locals, some of whom view
him as a sellout, a traitor, or worse.
As he digs deeper, he finds evidence of
corruption on the police force, and must cope with the desperation of
the many inhabitants who feel they have few options and even less to
lose. (From what I gather, Australian Aborigines seem to share much
of the same history and fate of our American Indians.) Most
of what he uncovers hits home professionally and personally, as he
discovers his teenage daughter also seems to have picked up some very
bad habits.
Of course, just like every dance movie
has its epic dance-off that solves everything, “Mystery Road”
must build to a spectacular shootout, wherein the fates of every
major character will be decided. Even if you can't figure out why it
happened, and why exactly certain people are shooting at the hero,
it's still one of the masterfully orchestrated standoffs I've seen.
If only the film left more
bread crumbs to follow, and cleared up a few loose ends. Most of the
questions can be answered by checking out the “Mystery Road”
Wikipedia page, but not all. Really, what was the deal with those
frigging dogs they kept talking about?
Grade: B+
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