Set in 1925 Montana, the film revolves around a rancher whose brother marries a local restauranteur whose son is known for acting a bit effeminate and talk with a bit of a lisp as he becomes uncomfortable with their presence as he becomes intimidating towards them. It is a film that explores a world where men and women have their place in the world but there is this sense of change where the definition of what men and women are begin to blur. Jane Campion’s screenplay is broken into a few chapters as it play into the relationship between the Burbank brothers in Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his younger brother George (Jesse Plemons) as the latter is an educated while the former prefers to maintain his lifestyle tending to the ranch as he has no interested in bathing nor show any kind of weakness. During a cattle drive where they stop at a nearby town at a restaurant run by Rose (Kirsten Dunst) whose son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a waiter where his lanky and effeminate presentation amuses Phil who would later mock Peter.
The first act is about the relationship between the brothers as well as George’s yearning to marry Rose as he would do so much to Phil’s annoyance as her presence would cause tension just as Rose is trying to bring a few changes as well as invite Phil and George’s parents and the governor (Keith Carradine) and his wife (Alison Bruce) for a dinner. The second act is about Peter’s arrival to the ranch following his time in college where he’s studying medicine and surgery where he tries to stay away from Phil and his ranchers but also makes a discovery about Phil that would change their relationship in the film’s second half. It is where this theme of masculinity come into play as Phil would become open to show Peter the ideas of being a rancher that Peter takes great interest in. Yet, Rose becomes uneasy about it as she turns to alcohol to cope as she would do something that only anger both Phil and Peter.
Campion’s direction is definitely intoxicating for the presentation she creates as it is set in the American West that is Montana though it is shot on the Maniototo plains in the Central Otago region in New Zealand with several interiors shot on sound stages in Auckland. Campion’s direction is often filled with gazing wide shots of these locations where they are major characters in the film as it play into this world that is untouched by modern society which suits Phil and the world he cares about. Campion would also use medium shots and close-ups to get a look into some of the attention to detail in the locations including a small flower in the field or something is symbolic. Most notably in a shrine for Phil’s mentor named Bronco Henry as he would tell stories about his exploits as it serves as this idea of what Phil wants to maintain with his cowhands who are also this embodiment of intense masculinity. Even as there is that moment where Phil notices some flowers made out of paper that Peter had created and burns it up as a form of intimidation and mocking.
There are also these shots that play into the tension between Rose and Phil such as a scene of the latter trying to play a piano piece with Phil on the floor above play that same piece with his banjo as a form of intimidation. Campion also play up the tension during a key scene where Phil and his cowhands are on the river with Phil at another location in the forest by himself where Peter makes this major discovery. This revelation for the second half is where Phil realizes that he and Peter are a lot alike in the way they see things but also that Peter is a lot stronger than both Phil and Rose would believe as Peter is fascinated by the idea of what it’s like to be a cowboy. For Rose, it’s a terrifying idea as she becomes more troubled and fearful as it adds some chaos in the film’s third act. It is Peter’s actions in the third act in what he’s learned from Phil is key to this unexpected bond between these two men who don’t feel like they belong in the modern world despite the things that Peter is studying yet he’s more intrigued by a world that is much simpler and uncompromising. Overall, Campion crafts a ravishing yet captivating film about a tough rancher’s encounter with his new sister-in-law and her effeminate son.
Cinematographer Ari Wegner does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its emphasis on natural lighting for many of the exteriors including some scenes in the forests are just gorgeous to watch while many of the nighttime interior scenes are used with available light to help set a mood. Editor Peter Sciberras does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama as well as some of the dramatic tension that occurs within the film. Production designer Grant Major, with supervising art director Mark Robins plus set decorators Gareth Edwards and Amber Richards, does amazing work with the look of the ranch and its interiors with how spacious the dining room is as well as Phil’s room that he shared with George and some of the exteriors including the stable where Phil keeps a lot of Bronco Henry’s possessions. Costume designer Kirsty Cameron does fantastic work with the costumes from the golden dress Rose wears to a dinner with the governor and others to the more rough-clothing and chaps that Phil and his cowhands wear.
Hair and makeup designer Noriko Watanabe does terrific work with the look of the characters from the dirty look of Phil as well as the hairstyle of the women during those times. Special effects supervisor Brendan Durey and visual effects supervisor Jason Hawkins do nice work with some of the effects as it relates to some of the horse riding and a few bits of set dressing for some scenes. Sound editor Robert Mackenzie and sound designer Dave Whitehead do brilliant work with the sound in the way cows and horses sound from afar as well as other sparse moments including the comb that Peter carries along with musical instruments as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Jonny Greenwood is phenomenal as its usage of discordant strings, eerie piano pieces, and lush orchestral string pieces add to the drama as it is a major highlight of the film while music supervisor Andrew Kotatko bring in a few classical and folk pieces that are performed in the film.
The casting by Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba, and Nina Gold is remarkable as it feature some notable small roles from Alice Englert as a young hooker who dances with a cowhand, Adam Beach as a Native American that wants to buy one of Phil’s rawhide, Maeson Stone Skuccedal as the Native American’s son, Sean Keenan and George Mason as a couple of Phil’s cowhands, Alice Bruce as the governor’s wife who is eager to meet Phil, Keith Carradine as the governor who is fascinated by Phil’s workmanship, Peter Carroll and Frances Conroy as Phil and George’s parents who are eager to see Rose in welcoming her to the family, Genevieve Lemon as the housekeeper Mrs. Lewis who kind of runs the ranch while telling Rose on a few house rules, and Thomasin McKenzie in a fantastic small role as the young maid Lola who works at the house and help Rose in a few things. Jesse Plemons is marvelous as George Burbank as Phil’s younger brother who is a more educated and kinder person than Phil as he would marry Rose as a way to have his own life instead of being intimidated by his brother.
Kirsten Dunst is incredible as Rose Gordon as a restauranteur who is intimidated by Phil as she is troubled by his presence that drives her to drink while becomes protective of Peter when he starts to befriend Phil where she does something that would upset them both. Kodi Smit-McPhee is phenomenal as Peter Gordon as a young man who has this effeminate presentation to him in the fact that he’s also very skinny yet Smit-McPhee makes Peter a far more intriguing individual who would do things that Rose would not approve of but Phil might’ve as well as show that he’s willing to learn as it play into his own ideas of life lessons. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a magnificent performance as Phil Burbank as a rancher who is more content with doing work with the ranch and living a rough and tumble lifestyle as he is wary at Rose believing she is being disruptive but takes a liking towards Peter in the film’s second half as there is this ambiguity and complexity to Cumberbatch’s performance that can be chilling but also has this air of sensitivity that is definitely a career-defining performance for Cumberbatch.
The Power of the Dog is an outstanding film from Jane Campion that features phenomenal performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Kirsten Dunst. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous locations, ravishing visuals, Jonny Greenwood’s unsettling score, a chilling soundtrack, and its themes on masculinity in an ever-changing world. It is a film that doesn’t play by the conventions of what it means to be a man or how to be one in a world that is removed from conventional society but rather to take an identity and own it no matter how hard society can hit. In the end, The Power of the Dog is a tremendous film from Jane Campion.
Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Piano - The Portrait of a Lady - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - Top of the Lake (Season 1) - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) – The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion
© thevoid99 2022
Directed by Jane Campion and screenplay by Campion and Gerard Lee from a story by Campion, Sweetie is the story of a twenty-something woman and her tumultuous relationship with her troubled sister as well as their family. The film explores the dysfunctional world of family as well as one woman’s desire to define herself in that chaos as she also has a sister who emotionally-unstable. Starring Genevieve Lemon, Karen Colston, Tom Lycos, and Jon Darling. Sweetie is an entrancing yet captivating film from Jane Campion.
The film explores the life of a buttoned-down yet superstitious woman who has finally found herself in a relationship but is still repressed by her superstitions. When her younger yet emotionally-unstable sister makes an unexpected arrival, it only adds to the multitude of problems that Kay (Karen Colston) is having as she also learns that her parents had split up when her father (Jon Darling) also makes an unexpected arrival. For Kay, she has to think about how the presence of her sister Sweetie (Genevieve Lemon) is affecting her already dysfunctional family as well as her relationship with Louis (Tom Lycos). It’s a film that explores not just a woman’s repression but also the fears and insecurities she has while being unaware of how troubled her sister is who is the exact opposite of Kay.
The screenplay by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee is largely told from Kay’s perspective as she is a woman who is trying to find answers through a fortune teller in order to maintain a life that is safe and without complications. It is there that Kay would meet Louis as she unknowingly steals him away from a co-worker as there’s love in the relationship but Kay’s fear of sex and omens started to strain things. The arrival of Sweetie only adds more strain as Louis is fascinated by her but Sweetie is essentially a human tornado who acts very childlike and likes to have fun while hoping she would get a break into the music industry. Yet, Sweetie is also uncontrollable and vigorous where Kay and Sweetie’s father Gordon would eventually make an arrival as he is the only one that can talk to Sweetie though he’s admittedly guilty of indulging her and such. Even to the point that his wife Flo (Dorothy Barry) finally returns as the family tries to figure out how to help Sweetie.
Campion’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way she presents the life of a young woman and her dysfunctional family including her sister. Notably in the way it plays into Kay’s life as she often narrates the film express not just her repression but also the sense of fear that she’s been living. A lot of the compositions that Campion creates is often full of close-ups and wide shots to play into the sense of fear that Kay is living in as she has a hard time trying to get into the next step of her relationship with Louis. Even to the point where Campion would bring in some sexual imagery to showcase Kay’s attempt to take that step but she feels uncomfortable in being fully nude to Louis. A lot of the first act has a sense of claustrophobia that is prevalent until the arrival of Sweetie where the film is carried with this new sense of energy that is unpredictable, exciting, and dangerous.
Shot largely in Sydney with parts of the film shot in New South Wales, Campion infuses the film with a lot of symbolism such as the porcelain horses that Kay has to the small tree that she pulled out of her backyard that she put under the bed because of an omen she might’ve had. Even as the film would have this very calm sequence of Gordon, Kay, and Louis going to the New South Wales desert to find Flo as it would be a moment to reinforce the idea of family but not everything is perfect where Campion goes to great lengths to display a depth of field to show how apart the family really is. Notably as Sweetie would find a way to get the family together but in the most troubling circumstances that forces Kay to realize more about herself. Overall, Campion creates a very tender yet harrowing film about family dysfunctions and a repressed woman’s relationship with her sister.
Cinematographer Sally Bongers does amazing work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the look of the exteriors to some of the more sepia-drenched look of some of the flashback scenes involving a young Sweetie as well as some lighting schemes for the interior scenes. Editor Veronika Jenet does excellent work with the editing in creating some montages that plays to Kay‘s fears as well as some simplistic yet steady cuts to play into the drama that unfolds throughout the film. Art director Peter Harris does superb work with the look of the house that Kay and Louis live in to the home that Flo and Gordon live in that includes the tree house that Sweetie loved as a child.
Costume designer Amanda Lovejoy does nice work with the costumes with the more buttoned-up clothing of Kay to the more punk-Goth clothes that Sweetie wears. Sound supervisor John Dennison does terrific work with the sound to play up some of the craziness that Sweetie causes in Kay‘s home as well as the low-key moments in the beaches and deserts. The film’s music by Martin Armiger is wonderful for its mixture of choir-based orchestral music that plays into the drama as well as a music soundtrack that includes elements of rock, alternative, and country music.
The film’s cast is fantastic as it features some notable small appearances from Jean Hadgraft as the fortune teller, Paul Livingston as the fortune teller’s mentally-challenged son, Louise Fox as Louis’ old girlfriend Cheryl, Emma Jane Fowler as the young Sweetie, Andre Pataczek as the adolescent neighbor Clayton whom Sweetie likes to play with, and Michael Lake as Sweetie’s boyfriend/music producer Bob who is always inebriated to the point that he later goes missing. Jon Darling and Dorothy Barry are excellent as Kay and Sweetie’s parents Gordon and Flo, respectively, with Darling providing a vulnerability as a father dealing with his guilt while Barry showcases a woman in need of a break while showcasing a remarkable talent that Kay never knew. Tom Lycos is superb as Louis as a young man who is attracted to Kay but becomes frustrated with her repression as he tries to deal with her family as well as Sweetie whom he is intrigued by as he later becomes overwhelmed by her.
Karen Colston is amazing as Kay as a woman who is driven by fear and superstition as she is upset about the arrival of her sister while dealing with herself as it would affect her relationship with Louis as Colston is engaging to display Kay’s issues and her reluctance to face up to them. Finally, there’s Genevieve Lemon in a sprawling performance as the titular character as a young woman who is a real firecracker as she does things that are very off-the-wall as she would sometimes act like a dog or do all sorts of things that is quite shocking. It’s definitely a performance that is a mixture of comedy, horror, and drama as it really indicates a look into a woman who is clearly troubled and in need of help.
The 2006 Region 1 DVD/Region A Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a newly-restored high-definition digital transfer under the supervision of filmmaker Jane Campion and cinematographer Sally Bongers. Presented in its 1:85:1 theatrical aspect ratio as well as a new 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound mix, the DVD includes many special features in relation to not just the film but also a trio of Campion’s early shorts.
The audio commentary track that features Jane Campion, co-writer Gerard Lee, and cinematographer Sally Bongers has the trio talk about the film as well as their years in film school. Campion and Bongers do a lot of the talking early on while Lee would later pop up into the conversation 25 minutes into the film. Lee admits that the Louis character is based on him while Campion said some of Kay is based on herself while Sweetie is sort of based on her sister Anna whom she dedicated the film to for helping her deal with their manic-depressive mother on the last days of shooting when Jane wasn’t available. Campion and Bongers point out a few technical things while Campion and Lee talk about the story and such. Even as all three reveal the inexperience they had which they admitted was fruitful as they had people that were supportive of them. It’s a very lively and fun commentary track that is full of laughter but also some sobering moments that relates to the dramatic elements of the film.
The 23-minute video conversation with actresses Genevieve Lemon and Karen Colston has the two actresses talking about their experience in making the film. Notably as it was their time doing a film as they both discuss the characters as well as working with Jane Campion. Even as Lemon reveals some making-of footage that she made during the film’s production. The two also talk about the film’s reception at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival where it did get some boos but also some cheers. Yet, the film did manage to give them vital careers in Australia with Lemon still working with Campion while Colston has become a producer. The 19-minute conversation between Jane Campion and film critic Peter Thompson entitled Jane Campion: The Film School Years is from a 1989 TV Australian TV special. It’s a short piece that includes clips from Campion’s trio of shorts as she talks about her experiences in film school as well as her thoughts about her filmmaking style. Even as she was on the verge of developing her cinematic style with her first feature film.
Three of Campion’s early shorts films are included in the special features. The first of which is the 9-minute An Exercise in Discipline: Peel. The short revolves around a family going on a road trip when a boy gets in trouble by throwing orange peels out of the car as his father orders to pick up the peels. It’s a very entrancing short that explores the dynamic of family as well as the idea of discipline where things don’t go exactly as the father has planned. Filled with some entrancing close-ups and images, it’s definitely the work of someone who clearly has ideas of her own.
The 12-minute Passionless Moments is a short co-written and co-directed with Gerard Lee that features many vignettes about the lives of various people doing mundane things. It’s an interesting short that features some unique compositions as well as some strange stories such as a fat man doing yoga, a woman thinking about a pig, and a man cleaning his jeans as he thinks about the Monkees’ song Daydream Believer. Shot in black-and-white that includes camera work from future Australian filmmaker Alex Proyas and featuring a narrator, it’s a short that is quite engaging to way people do things in their lives.
The 27-minute A Girl’s Own Story is a black-and-white short film that explore two young girls fascination with sexuality in the 1960s. Notably as one girl becomes pregnant while another is dealing with the marriage of her parents as it is a coming of age film that features an entrancing musical section towards the end of the film. It features a lot of strange images and compositions that would be a trademark of Campion’s work as it’s definitely the best of the three shorts.
The DVD special features also include the film’s original theatrical trailer as well as a photo gallery from Regis Lansac on the film’s production. The DVD also features a booklet that includes an essay by film scholar Dana Polan called Jane Campion's Experiment. The essay has Polan talking about the film and its quirkiness and how the film seems to be the bridging point between Campion’s trio of shorts that she made in films school to the subsequent films she would make in the years to come. Polan also discusses the film’s unique style of narrative as it relates to the titular character and how crucial she is to play into Kay’s development as a person as it’s a wonderful read that accompanies a great DVD release.
Sweetie is a remarkable film from Jane Campion highlighted by the performances Karen Colston and Genevieve Lemon. The film isn’t just a compelling portrait of a dysfunctional family as well as a look into the relationship between two sisters. It’s a film that also explores a woman’s journey into self-discovery through her dysfunctional family as she had been constrained by her fears. In the end, Sweetie is an enchanting film from Jane Campion.
Jane Campion Films: An Angel at My Table - The Piano - The Portrait of a Lady - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - Top of the Lake (TV Miniseries) - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) - The Power of the Dog - The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion
© thevoid99 2013
Top of the Lake is a seven-part TV miniseries about a detective who is trying to find a 12-year old pregnant girl whose father is a local drug lord in a small yet remote New Zealand town. Written and created by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee and directed by Campion and Garth Davis, the miniseries is a suspense story that involves a world where many people are carrying secrets and some are trying to hide from the secrets just as a girl is disappearing from the world. Starring Elisabeth Moss, Peter Mullan, David Wenham, and Holly Hunter. Top of the Lake is a chilling yet mesmerizing miniseries from Jane Campion, Garth Davis, and Gerard Lee.
A 12-year old girl named Tui (Jacqueline Joe) is pregnant as she is the daughter of a local drug lord named Matt Mitcham (Peter Mullan) where people are wondering who got her pregnant. An investigation happens led by Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) as she questions Tui about who the father is where the only thing Tui reveals are the words “no one”. When Tui suddenly disappears, a manhunt happens where Griffin turns to her former boyfriend and Tui’s half-brother Johnno Mitcham (Thomas M Wright) for help while getting aid from Detective Sergeant Al Parker (David Wenham). While the investigation progresses as it involves land disputes, drug trades, and all sorts of things in the underworld while a group of women are seeking sanctuary in a camp led by the enigmatic GJ (Holly Hunter).
Things eventually take an emotional and mental toll on Griffin, who was the victim of a rape at the age of 15, as her mother (Robyn Nevin) is dying while she becomes troubled by her own past. Secrets are unveiled that leads to Griffin to get more questions about Tui’s whereabouts as well as the mystery into who is the father of Tui’s baby. What the miniseries does is create a story that isn’t just a suspense-drama but a woman’s exploration into facing her own demons just as she is trying to find this young girl. Even as she is surrounded by women who are victims of abuse, neglect, or something incomprehensible as they try to save themselves in this camp led by this strange figure. Just as the series progresses in each episode, the stakes of trying to find Tui becomes much more troubling as it’s not just the police that are trying to find her but the girl’s father who is descending into madness over her disappearance.
The teleplay by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee does play with some of the conventions of a mystery where little clues do arrive to reveal something big or small. By breaking the story into seven parts, it allows each episode to reveal little clues on not just Tui’s disappearance but why Robin Griffin is so personally invested in this case as it relates to her own demons from the past. Even as each clue she finds brings her closer to not just about Tui but also a dark underworld involving the drug trade and prostitution. She also has to confront the people around her including her boss, her former boyfriend, and her ailing mother about these secrets where her mother is carrying one of her own that would later impact Robin to the brink of an emotional breakdown.
The script also plays into characters like Matt Mitcham, Johnno Mitcham, and Al Parker as they’re these three different men who are all connected to Robin Griffin as well as the case. While Matt Mitcham may be this local drug lord with a dark reputation as well as having casual conversations with the police, he’s also a man that is becoming troubled by Tui’s disappearance. Either he’s in denial or he might be involved about what happened to Tui yet he is someone that does have good intentions to get his daughter back. Matt’s estranged son Johnno is a man trying to start a new life after serving an eight-year prison in Thailand as he was living with Tui’s mother. Having Robin back in in his life creates complications as he remembers the night Robin was raped while his presence makes her mother uncomfortable which relates to the secret that she carries during her visit to GJ’s compound.
Al Parker is just as mysterious as the other characters as he is a leading police figure who is very rich and lives in a lavish home which causes Robin to raise questions about how he makes his money. Although he would help Robin and even ask her to marry him, there are still things about him that makes Robin uneasy as well as his connection to Mitcham. Then there’s the camp compound leader GJ who is easily the most mysterious person of the entire story. Though she doesn’t really do much when it involves Tui or the case, she is someone who provides shelter to women yet she says mysterious things that are very eccentric. Yet, she knows what these women are going through but doesn’t provide answers that will help them but rather point them in the right direction.
The direction of Jane Campion and Garth Davis is very entrancing for the way it presents this small town in New Zealand that is surrounded by mountains and a big lake where these locations are characters in the miniseries. Shot in the cities of Queenstown and Glenorchy, the miniseries does have this air of chilling ambiance in its settings where there’s a lot of bluish, grey colors while there is this mix between nature and the city. Notably for the scenes set in the day where there is this sense of unease throughout the town where there is something that is secretive but no one wants to speak out. The images that Campion and Davis create are full of mesmerizing imagery and lots of little tidbits such as deer heads, bones, and other things to establish a world that is modern but still reveled in something that harkens back to the idea of an old world order.
Filled with a mixture of shots ranging from hand-held to gazing establishing shots of the location, the direction is quite stylish but also intimate at times to play out some of the drama that occurs. Notably as it has this air of suspense that happens throughout including some flashback scenes where it plays into Griffin’s past and her motivation to find Tui. There are twists and turns that happens throughout the miniseries where it does reach a climax that isn’t just horrifying but also maintains an air of ambiguity where some answers are revealed though are also questions that don’t get answered. Overall, Jane Campion, Garth Davis, and Gerard Lee create a hypnotic yet engrossing suspense-drama that explores the world of demons and dark secrets.
Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw does excellent work with the look of the miniseries with its exotic blue-grey color to create an air of despair and uncertainty to many of the miniseries‘ locations as well as keeping things natural for the scenes at night and the scenes at the forest. Editors Alexandre de Franceschi and Scott Gray do fantastic work with the editing to give each episode some stylish cuts from jump cuts and fade-outs while building up the suspense with slow yet methodical cuts. Production designer Fiona Crombie does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of Parker‘s posh home to the more cabin-like home of Matt Mitcham that includes a drug lab under his bathroom.
Costume designer Emily Seresin does nice work with the costumes as a lot of it is mostly casual though the clothes do help out in establishing key parts of the film as it relates to clues about Tui‘s whereabouts. Sound designer Tony Vaccher does superb work with the sound to create an atmosphere in some of the party scenes as well as in the suspenseful moments to maintain that air of dread. The music by Mark Bradshaw is exquisite for its hypnotic mood with its plaintive sounds of guitar and piano to create a sense of melancholia and dread throughout the miniseries.
The casting by Kirsty McGregor is brilliant for the ensemble that is created for this miniseries. Notable appearances include Genevieve Lemon and Robyn Malcolm as a couple of women at the compound, Darren Gilshenan as the real estates agent Bob Platt who is hiding a dark secret about the town, Luke Buchanan as Tui’s friend Jamie, Mirrah Foulkes as Jamie’s mother Simone who also works for Mitcham, Kip Chapman and Jay Ryan as two of Mitcham’s adult sons, Calvin Tuteao as Jude Griffin’s Maori boyfriend, and Lucy Lawless as Platt’s wife who tells Robin about the secrets in Bob’s computer. Jaqueline Joe is excellent as the young girl Tui who finds herself the subject of a mysterious hunt about who the father of her baby is as she suddenly disappears. Robyn Nevin is wonderful as Robin’s mother Jude who is dealing with her illness while carrying a secret that would shake up Robin’s relationship with Johnno.
Thomas M. Wright is terrific as Matt’s estranged son Johnno who helps Robin out in finding Tui while dealing with his own issues as it relates to his relationship with Robin in the past as he yearns to start a new life for himself. Peter Mullan is great as the drug lord Matt Mitcham who is man eager to find his daughter while coming undone by her disappearance as he tries to hold on to his drug empire and finding some redemption. David Wenham is amazing as Detective Sgt. Al Parker who heads the investigation to find Tui while he being very ambiguous about his connection with Mitcham as well as his finances.
Holly Hunter is superb as GJ as she is just this very strange woman who is the head of a sanctuary as she says very weird things that would later prove to be helpful. Finally, there’s Elisabeth Moss in a remarkable performance as Robin Griffin where Moss brings a chilling intensity to a woman eager to find this young girl and face her own demons where Moss displays a sense of rawness and vulnerability to a role where a woman is trying to do something good in a chaotic world.
Top of the Lake is a phenomenal TV miniseries from Jane Campion, Garth Davis, and co-writer Gerard Lee that features top-notch performances from Elisabeth Moss, Peter Mullan, David Wenham, and Holly Hunter. It’s definitely one of Jane Campion’s fine works in terms of creating a suspense film led by a female protagonist while adding layers that makes the project far more compelling. It’s also a very provocative miniseries that explores a dark underworld as well as secrets that people don’t want to unveil. In the end, Top of the Lake is a fantastic TV miniseries from Jane Campion, Garth Davis, and Gerard Lee.
Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Piano - The Portrait of a Lady - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) - The Power of the Dog - The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion
© thevoid99 2013
