The Dry
Old wounds in the Outback, The Dry serves as an adaptation of Jane Harper’s thriller novel. A struggling community here, some poorly guarded secret there, and just the right dose of Eric Bana see this mystery-drama hybrid take flight. Dry farmland and crawling heat pile on top of the already fractured relationships between these townsfolk, and as Aaron Faulk (Eric Bana) returns to his drought-stricken hometown, the horrors creep up rather immediately. Death brings up old issues, and the escape needed for some in these instances is handled with care by director Robert Connolly, as the grief Faulk feels gives him a chance to rekindle the issues of his early years in the fictional town of Kiewarra.
Those small-town influences appear rather early. It feels as though Connolly wishes to acknowledge them, embed these tropes into the weaves of the narrative, and simply move on. This is just another hardship for the community; a priest offers to his audience. That it may be, but it is how these people adapt and reform their memories that are of most interest. Bana feels at home here, a riveting performance that shows he is keeping his head well above water. His flirtations with Hollywood were unfortunate and subverted his real talent, which he taps into frequently and naturally throughout The Dry. He is the kind-yet-reserved character, dealing with his own inner turmoil as he attempts to clear the name of his dear, former friend.
He is chastised and harassed, and Connolly ties the grief Faulk feels for his friend with the integrity and beliefs of the past. It is a potent blend, one that shows Harper has not just a keen eye for detail, but a body of work that will be credibly adapted. The Dry expresses many of the same issues and instigators as the average drama, where a character wishes to clear a friend's name and redeem themselves also. That much is played up and often too, but here the animosity, turmoil and tension between this sweat-soaked townsfolk is palpable and exciting. Flashback interjections do much of the heavy lifting and feel tremendously appropriate for how Connolly wishes to adapt this tale of deceit and death.
Not all is what it seems. It is such an overused tone or feeling, but some adapt it well. The Dry is one such piece. Sharp minds are not just necessary but needed for the thriller genre. The Dry feels like a fresh breath of air, one that will hopefully clear away many of the tacked-on terrors presented by the murder most foul. There is more than meets the eye to The Dry, especially where Falk is concerned. Bana and Connolly adapt that well. The two learn and experience the inhabitants and setting as the audience do too. We are taken on a journey, not told of one, and that is the crucial, stand-out difference that lets The Dry excel far beyond what it should be capable of. This is, hopefully, not the last we shall see of Harper’s adapted works.