Movie Review: Goldstone

The main thing to say about this movie is, go see it, it’s that simple! Not only is it a great story, the acting is brilliant, and the phenomenal remote Queensland landscape is exquisitely captured by drone technology … a hint at the future of movies.

thanks to transmission

Writer, director Ivan Sen’s latest crime thriller is set in Goldstone, a blistering remote outback Australian community where mining is the main game.

Young local cop Josh (Alex Russell) pulls over a stranger whose driven into town clearly way over the limit. When the driver turns out to be Indigenous detective Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen) you could be fooled into thinking this was going to be the usual good cop, bad cop affair, but you’d be very wrong.

We soon learn that the young Josh is equally likely to blur procedural edges, particularly after his ‘chats’ with Maureen (Jackie Weaver), whose motherly, cake wielding, appearance, belies her scheming ways as Mayor of the community. The simple act of accepting one of Maureen’s cake means so much more than an increased caloric intake. Reminiscent of Animal Kingdom, Weaver’s smile is both broad and menacing.

Maureen’s partner in crime is Mine Manager Johnny (David Wenhem), who rocking knee high socks and short shorts, is a reminder of the Lang Hancock era.

As a Federal cop Swan arrives in town to investigate the disappearance of a young Chinese girl, but his investigations are hampered from the beginning by strict security at the mine site. Vast tracks of land are off limits to anyone not working on the mine.

When Swan’s caravan is shot up while he’s inside it, he realises the corruption goes further than first thought.

A brief appearance by Jimmy (David Gulpilil) sums up the level of greed and corruption in the community by stating that people who come to Goldstone ‘follow the same god, the Money God.’

When Josh starts to look into what’s happening and meets prostitute (Lark Lee), he soon realises the full impact of turning a blind eye. Faced with the full story he has to decide whether to stand up and join Swan in the fight or continue to ignore reality.

thanks to transmission

The acting is superb as you’d expect given the cast. However, it’s Pedersen who you cannot you’re your eyes off, he must surely be recognised with an award nomination. Russell also holds his own, with a touch of the Worthington’s about him.

It has to be said that the imagery plays an integral role in the movie. Case in point the delightful Pinky’s caravan that roles into town for a week or two to provide services for the mine workers. Compete with doorbell and surveillance camera it is a treasure. So too ‘The Ranch’, think Kalgoorlie’s Stalls on wheels, outwardly a shed inside a mini red light distinct.

Set in Middleton Queensland the movie is also fascinating for it’s use of drone technology. Drone driver Brendan Isaac’s birds eye view shots expertly capture the unforgiving vastness of the terrain. I kept hoping that Swan’s car wouldn’t breakdown. I assume the same technology was put to use capturing the shots of Swan and Jimmy meandering through a watery gorge on a flimsy canoe.

Part thriller, part western,the movie is fascinating on so many levels. It touches on corruption, greed, human trafficking and aboriginal relations. At its heart though it is about finding your place in the world.

On the way home I pondered …

1. The movie often seems so close to the bone that I kept wondering when the law suit was arriving.
2. It was so wonderful to see David Gulpilil who I first fell in love with in Storm Boy. Also great to see Max Cullen.
3. If this is what drones can add to a movie then I’m excited about what’s to come. Thankfully the drone imagery was smooth, unlike the ‘shaking cam’ realism era which meant I missed out on many a good movie due to motion sickness.
4. I can see why this movie was nominated for a Best Film and opened the Sydney Film Festival.
5. Out of interest the canoe used in the film was a real one from a museum.

Goldstone starts July 7th  for the trailer see here  For session times go to Luna