Writer & Director
Jennifer Kent
(THE BABADOOK)

Starring
Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, Baykali Ganambarr, Damon Herriman and Michael Sheasby

Following the success of her previous film, 2014’s dramatic horror THE BABADOOK, writer and director Jennifer Kent received many enticing offers for her next project. The story she really wanted to tell though would keep the Australian filmmaker on home soil and takes us all the way back to the colonisation of Australia in 1825.

In Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania), a 21 year-old Irish convict woman named Clare (Aisling Franciosi) has finished a seven year sentence and is hoping she’ll soon be free with her husband, Aidan (Michael Sheasby). Despite serving her time, a heartless British officer named Lieutenant Hawkins (Sam Claflin) is in no hurry at all to let her go and continues to mistreat her terribly. Aidan confronts the Lieutenant after he learns of his wife’s abuse, but his bravery ends with devastating consequences for Clare. Determined to create her own freedom, Clare enlists the help of a young Aboriginal tracker named Billy (Baykali Ganambarr), who’s seen his fair share of violence inflicted upon his people, to guide her safely throughout the Tasmanian wilderness.

As the lighting in the cinema began to dim and moments before THE NIGHTINGALE had commenced, I thought to myself ‘I hope this film is bloody good, because it will need to be in order to distract my mindset from where it currently is at’. Well, just days later, and that mindset is nothing but a distant memory now after this uncompromising but immediately absorbing and truly excellent film instantaneously commanded my attention right through until the end.

Do be warned, THE NIGHTINGALE isn’t an easy film to endure. Do be advised, however, it is worth persevering with and can be rewarding viewing in a variety of ways. One thing is always certain, pain must first be inflicted before any form of pleasure may arrive. The plot and its trajectory are a prime example of just that. All throughout, there are many inhumane atrocities committed against the protagonists and even minor characters that appear in the film that will make even the most ordinary of human beings feel incensed. Though not based on a true story, the fact that the story has been extensively researched to give an honest representation of what it depicts intensifies the feelings it provokes. So what reward may come from such a tough slog? Witnessing the seamless integration of these separate plots in an Australian period drama that is strikingly authentic and boasts outstanding originality.

That authenticity, which is another rewarding feature of THE NIGHTINGALE, comes largely from being shot on location in South Australia and Tasmania. I was equally absorbed by the setting as I was the story and its trajectory once it became a prominent part of the film. Furthermore, the seldom use of score draws greater authenticity again from the film by enabling its habitat to cause a constant feeling of unease. Reward is (arguably) most notably sourced from recognising the connection and deepening reliance on trust between Clare and Billy, which could only happen from a mutual pain so deep. This is the beauty of THE NIGHTINGALE.

 A strong 4 stars

Viewer Discretion
MA15+ (Strong sexual violence, violence, themes and coarse language)

Trailer
THE NIGHTINGALE

Moviedoc thanks Transmission for the invite to the screening of this film.

THE NIGHTINGALE is released in cinemas throughout Australia from August 29th, 2019.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
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