Morose small-town dramas that tell stories about questionable characters potentially involved in a dormant mystery – often with an undercurrent of sexual exploration – became something of a cliche in Australian cinema long ago.
Even though it encapsulated all those things, Simon Stone’s electrifying directorial debut The Daughter provided a timely reminder not to write off films on the grounds of sharing a familiar premise. If the execution is right and the story is compelling, the drama will likely feel fresh and interesting.
Writer/director Grant Scicluna’s first feature film, Downriver, represents the other end of the scale: a rather drab and listless mood piece that, despite best efforts of cast and crew, will serve as a prime example for anybody arguing this sort of drama has been dragged down the river too many times before.
James (Reef Ireland) returns to his hometown after being released from prison, where he served time for drowning a young boy whose body was never found. His recollection of the event was impaired by an epileptic seizure he experienced at the time, meaning James and the audience share an equally unclear comprehension of the past.
The story relies on the assumption James alone has potential to discover answers that eluded a comprehensive investigation. Clearly it’s not the most plausible setup but something more or less forgotten when he begins asking questions, opening old wounds and running into trouble.
James attempts to reconnect with his mother Paige (Kerry Fox) and old acquaintances including estranged friend Anthony (Tom Green). His relationship with the former may be irrevocably scarred and the latter proves dangerous.
His interactions often follow a predictable pattern: one character says or does something surprising or shocking, to which the other is forced to either demur or retaliate. The script is essentially a patchwork of small and large confrontations, with some breathing room left to small-town sexual activity and homophobia.
The handsome, gloomy cinematography of László Baranyai is graded with the colours of a time-worn photograph. Baranyai shot director Matthew Saville’s extraordinary police drama Noise so Downriver certainly looks the part. It doesn’t sound bad either, with a chillingly sparse soundscape that resists the obvious inclination towards a moody score.
But the film’s technical achievements can’t compensate for a deeply unsatisfying screenplay. If some goodwill is generated from the supporting cast (which includes strong, albeit small, performances from Steve Mouzakis and Fox), it is largely squandered by an out-there ending hard to accept on any level, literal or metaphoric.
In lieu of deciding whether the central mystery is an emotional or logical one, Scicluna double dips metaphors and casts a net of partly-drawn characters whose primary purpose is to antagonise the protagonist, to no great end. Ireland walks around in a terrible funk, his stony, slightly perplexed look as difficult to read as the film itself.
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Downriver will screen as part of Melbourne International Film Festival on 12, 14 and 16 August
