Restraint
by A couple on the run from the police are forced to take refuge with a rich agoraphobic man in country Australia. Frequent visits to the property from local police, a visibly unhinged male lead, and questions from the past keep more than enough tension and twists coming during this surprisingly good film. In recent decades, too many Australian films have been preoccupied with exploiting a perceived and often clichéd Australian aesthetic. With Restraint, the Australian film industry proves it has the acting, writing and directing talent to produce a taut and compelling thriller on a par with the bigger budgets and names coming out of Hollywood. The tension is cleverly teased out from several angles, using the mental illness of the captive, sexual innuendo and the class divide between those on the run and the well-educated man they have taken prisoner. By placing the criminals at the centre of the action and questioning the past of the captive, the film also leaves the audience unsure where to place their empathy, creating further tension and interest, as well as playing with the regular villain-hero dynamic.
Tagged: Australian movies
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