The Dry – Movie Review (4/5)

THE DRY is a thriller from IFC. It’s an Australian production starring Eric Bana. The crime mystery takes place in a drought-stricken rural town. A decade-old death might be tied into a new tragedy. A slow-burn character-driven plot. Read our full The Dry movie review here!

THE DRY is a thriller with a crime-mystery plot. The Australian production is being released by IFC in the US and it’s easy to understand why. While this is a slow-burner of a movie, it’s also very character-driven in all the best ways.

The location of this film is typically Australian, with a drought-stricken town setting the stage. However, the US has had its fair share of drought in recent years, so it’s bound to feel familiar. As will the smalltown-vibe of everyone knowing everyone else’s business. Finally, the movie stars Eric Bana who has had a solid career in US film, so his name alone will draw in the viewers.

Continue reading our The Dry movie review below.

Eric Bana is a strong lead

I’ve always liked Eric Bana, so obviously I’m biased when I say he’s a strong lead. If the story is good, Eric Bana tends to deliver strong performances and this was no exception. He also worked exceptionally well as the title character John Meehan in the Dirty John series, which was based on a true story. In fact, it was nice to see him as a “regular guy” again in The Dry.

You might like

Our season 1 review of the USA/Netflix series Dirty John starring Eric Bana here >

In terms of horror stories, you should also check out Deliver Us from Evil, by writer-director Scott Derrickson, where Bana co-starred with Edgar Ramírez.

Also in The Dry, you’ll see Genevieve O’Reilly (The Snowman) in a key role, where she delivers a strong performance (as always) and is a big part of what makes the story come together and stay alive. Claude Scott-Mitchell (Reckoning on Netflix) plays the young version of the same character and Keir O’Donnell (Into the Dark: I’m Just F*cking with You) plays another key character.

Overall, the cast is truly wonderful and very Australian in all the best and right ways.

Watch The Dry in theaters or On Demand

The Dry is based on the novel by Jane Harper with the screenplay by Harry Cripps and the director Robert Connolly. Most recently, Robert Connoly has been working on the FOX series Deep State and as a writer, director, and producer on both movies and series for decades.

If you like movies like the 2014 Spanish Marshland (org. title La isla mínima) or the 2019 German remake Free Country (org. title Freies Land, then The Dry should be right up your alley.

At times, I was on the verge of feeling like it was too slow for me. But then, somehow, it always managed to drive in a wild twist or a strange detail that got me right back on track. Oh, and for the record, this isn’t the kind of movie that evolves in crazy ways with grotesque plot twists. It feels very organic. Almost like the kind of thing you could read about in the paper.

The Dry is out in theaters and on-demand on May 21, 2021.

Details

Director: Robert Connolly
Writers: Harry Cripps, Robert Connolly (screenplay), Jane Harper (novel)
Stars: Eric Bana, Genevieve O’Reilly, Keir O’Donnell, John Polson, Julia Blake, Bruce Spence, William Zappa, Matt Nable, James Frecheville, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Joe Klocek, BeBe Bettencourt, Claude Scott-Mitchell, Sam Corlett, Miranda Tapsell, Daniel Frederiksen, Renee Lim