By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Cate Shortland
Starring: Alice McConnell | Emily Barclay | Essie Davis | Richard Roxburgh
Country: australia
Year: 2007
Running time: 104
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455281/
Bruce says: “This psychological thriller was made for Australian TV and although it has some excellent performances, the overall effect is weakened by a slightly preposterous script and some overwrought dialogue.
“Richard Treloar (Richard Roxburgh) has had a meltdown. During a shakedown, he froze and because of his inaction a fellow cop was killed. Now Treloar has been assigned as the curator of the Police Musuem, a big comedown for a guy who liked lots of action. Treloar’s first duty is to curate an exhibit of old crime scene photos from the police archives. He becomes fascinated by a photo of a murdered woman on a dock. His interest increases tenfold when he sees the same woman in the background in other crime scene photos. Treloar becomes obsessed with her murder and sets out to solve the forty year old crime. Treloar is having problems with his girlfriend Helen (Alice McConnell), an associate with his on the police force. When Treloar becomes involved as a suspect in a murder that connects him to the woman on the dock, things heat up at home and the office. He is told to see a police psychologist (Essie Davis) but he is rude and insulting to her. She is persistent in trying to get through tot him. Olive (Jennifer Hagan), his perky assistant at the museum, is the one person who stands by him and gives him the support he needs to see his investigation through.
“This is a film that could have done with less all the way around. Cate Shortland (SOMERSAULT) should have edited her story – the plot is too convoluted. Also, there are too many characters and some fly by as quickly as they might on a ‘Law & Order’ episode. Richard Roxburgh is terrific as the troubled cop and the film has value as a psychological study, if for no other reason. A couple of his scenes are too emotionally charged and should have been edited out, but that is not his fault. Alice McConnell is not particularly captivating in her role as Treloar’s girlfriend. That aside, the supporting cast, in general, is quite good. 2.5 cats
“(THE SILENCE screened at the 2007 Miami International Film Festival”