Jindabyne

FLICK Jindabyne is a small rural town in Australia, relocated after it was drowned by the rising waters of the Snowy River. This dismal location sets the tone for the compelling film based on the Raymond Carver short story "So Much Water So Close to Home." (This also served as the basis for one of the stories in Robert Altman’s film Short Cuts.) In the opening scene, an Aboriginal woman is stopped in her car on a lonely road by one of the local men. The next time we see her, her corpse is found floating face down in a secluded river by four working-class men on a fishing trip. Instead of immediately reporting it to the police, they tie her leg to a tree so she won’t float away, and wait until their weekend trip is over before revealing their discovery. Since we basically know how the crime was committed, this situation sets up moral issues raised not only by the community but by Claire, (the intensely engaging Laura Linney) a woman in a strained relationship with her husband, Stewart (Gabriel Byrne), who is also one of the fishermen. When she learns of the men’s decision, questions arise as to whether they would have behaved differently had the dead woman been white, or a man instead of a woman. The themes of race, gender and culture are exposed as Claire (meaning sees clearly?) attempts to make amends with the community while trying to make her friends see how the community views them. Linney’s heartfelt yet gripping performance stands out as a woman trying to stay afloat despite the tension rising around her. The understated pacing and cinematography presented by director Ray Lawrence (Lantana) is meant to ensure attention will be paid to what seemingly starts out as a thriller but ends as a meditation on relationships, social values and consequences. Screened at the 2007 Philadelphia Film Festival. 123 minutes, Australia. My Score: 8.5 out of 10.