Part mystery, part character study - this gritty and realistic story is presented with great delicacy and deftness of touch. Richard is a policeman suffering post traumatic stress, after finding his female informant viciously killed underneath her Hills Hoist. While recuperating he has been transferred to the Police Museum, where he is setting up an exhibition of murders from the sixties. Searching through the grainy black & white post-mortem photos of victims in settings from a very different Sydney, he is absorbed by the repeated appearance of the same woman in many pictures. The plot gathers speed as each layer is peeled off and the Sydney of the new millennium vies with old Sydney for attention.
Richard Roxburgh gives a sensitive and detailed performance as the cop still torn up by the horror of his previous case and Essie Davis walks a fine line as the Scottish psychiatrist fighting her own demons. For me, a joy of this picture is the presence of Emily Barclay (In My Father's Den) as Richard's Goth assistant. This girl is in line for a fantastic career.
The other character that cannot be ignored, whatever the era, is Sydney. The pubs, the low life, night time ferries, boxing rings, the Cross & the Pyrmont wharves become a living presence (and this from a Melbournite).
Thought this was brilliant the first time around. Realized it was a repeat last night but just could not find the moment when I could turn it off.
Richard Roxburgh gives a sensitive and detailed performance as the cop still torn up by the horror of his previous case and Essie Davis walks a fine line as the Scottish psychiatrist fighting her own demons. For me, a joy of this picture is the presence of Emily Barclay (In My Father's Den) as Richard's Goth assistant. This girl is in line for a fantastic career.
The other character that cannot be ignored, whatever the era, is Sydney. The pubs, the low life, night time ferries, boxing rings, the Cross & the Pyrmont wharves become a living presence (and this from a Melbournite).
Thought this was brilliant the first time around. Realized it was a repeat last night but just could not find the moment when I could turn it off.