The Rover (2014 film)

 

Directed by David Michod and screenplay by Michod from a story by Michod and Joel Edgerton, The Rover is the story of a loner living in futuristic world following a global economic collapse as he pursues a group of thieves who had stolen his car with the help of one of the thieves’ younger brother. The film is a western of sorts as it plays into a man seeking revenge for what had happened as he take in a young man who provides some ideas for this loner who felt the world has gone against him. Starring Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy, David Field, Gillian Jones, and Susan Prior. The Rover is a gripping and evocative film from David Michod.

Set a decade after a global economic collapse similar to the Apocalypse, the film follows a loner who encounters a trio of thieves who stole his car as he goes after them with the help of the thieves’ younger brother who had been left for dead following a robbery. It’s a film that plays into a man who is driving through the Australian desert as he is just passing through as his world collapse when his car is stolen as he becomes hell-bent on getting it back as he takes this slow-witted young man with him despite being wounded and guilty by association. David Michod’s screenplay has a straightforward narrative while it also plays up into the ambiguity into why this man named Eric (Guy Pearce) wants his car back as he finds the wounded Reynolds (Robert Pattinson) to accompany him.

Yet, they journey into a world of lawlessness where American currency is worth more than Australian currency while the military is the police of sorts as everything is done with some secrecy where people hide from criminals or the military. For Eric, none of that matters as he’s already lost so much since the economic collapse as he just wants his car back while not giving a fuck who he has to kill. Even if he has to drag Reynolds into the fray though Reynolds prove to be more useful than Eric realizes as it plays into Eric’s own humanity which he seemed to have lost. Especially as Reynolds is just someone who is innocent but knows his way to get around the lawless environment to help Eric.

Michod’s direction definitely echoes aspects of the western as it is shot on various locations at the South Flinders Ranges in Australia as well as areas nearby the town of Maree. Michod plays this world where people live remotely or hide in their houses as if things are dangerous yet it begins with Eric stopping at a bar where there aren’t many people as there’s a shot of a truck tumbling following an accident with Eric on the foreground taking a sip while the truck is in the background tumbling. It plays into the lawless nature of the film where the three men steal Eric’s car as sees it from afar as he also notices the truck which he takes and goes after them in a chase but there is this air of psychology into how Eric tries to approach these men but it doesn’t go well prompting him to play into the world of lawlessness. It is in this moment where he finds the wounded Reynolds as he asks for his help but Reynolds is in need of medical care. Yet, having access to guns and health care isn’t easy as the former requires money while the latter requires secrecy as it’s something Eric has to cope with. Michod maintains some unique compositions including a lot of gorgeous wide and medium shots in not just capturing the scope of the locations but also in how unsettling it is in this post-apocalyptic setting. There are these intimate moments in Michod’s approach to the close-ups and medium shots in the way it develops Eric’s relationship with Reynolds as first it starts off with Eric treating Reynolds with indifference and only using him to get to his destination.

Yet, Reynolds is someone that isn’t treated with respect at first but his innocence in the things he talks about but also his survival instincts does make Eric care for him following a skirmish involving a few military officers whom Reynolds, his brother, and the other thieves were stealing from. It does play into something that would happen in the second as Michod doesn’t stray from the brutality of the violence as it adds to the eerie nature of the environment the characters are in. Notably as Eric has been de-sensitized by the world due to the fact that he is someone that is carrying his own demons as it does bring a lot of reason into why he wants his car back. The film’s climax is violent but it’s more about Eric helping Reynolds confront his brother as well as bring some order back to the world of lawlessness. Overall, Michod crafts a chilling yet mesmerizing film about a loner who accompanies a young man to confront a trio of thieves who stole his car.

Cinematographer Natasha Braier does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of natural lighting for many of the daytime exterior scenes including some shots in the morning and in the evening as well as the usage of low-key colorful lights for some scenes at night. Editor Peter Sciberras does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into some of the suspenseful moments in the film. Production designer Josephine Ford, with set decorator Jennifer Drake and art director Tuesday Stone, does amazing work with the look of the motels, houses, and places that Eric and Reynolds venture into in their dilapidated state as it adds to the dreary look of the film. Costume designer Cappi Ireland does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward and casual to play into the hot area of Australia.

Hair/makeup supervisor Fiona Rees-Jones does terrific work with the look of the characters to help play into the grimy look as well as usage of mist to play to their reaction with their hot surroundings. Special effects supervisor Angelo Sahin and visual effects supervisor Dave Morley do fantastic work with the some of the special effects such as the truck tumbling scene as well as some of the violent moments in the film. Sound designer Sam Petty does superb work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations including some of the quieter moments as it adds to the film’s eerie tone. The film’s music by Antony Partos is incredible with its mixture of ambient and brooding electronic textures to play into the suspense while music supervisor Jemma Burns provides a soundtrack that adds to the film’s tone with music from Colin Stetson, Tortoise, the Ink Spots, Frances-Marie Uitti, and an offbeat track from Keri Hilson.

The casting by Kirsty McGregor is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Nash Edgerton as a soldier who confronts Eric, Samuel F. Lee as a gun-toting acrobat, Anthony Hayes as a brutal soldier, David Field and Tawanda Manyimo as two of the thieves who steal Eric’s car, Susan Prior as a reclusive doctor named Dorothy who also shelters lost dogs, Gillian Jones as an aging opium den owner known as Grandma, and Scoot McNairy in a terrific performance as Reynolds’ older brother Henry who leads the gang of thieves as he also abandons Reynolds.

Finally, there’s the duo of Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Reynolds and Eric. Pattinson brings this air of innocence as a young man wounded during a robbery and left for dead as he deals with what happened to him but is also someone that has some strong survival instincts despite his lack of social skills. Pearce has this air of chilling restraint as someone that just wants to drive through the desert only to have his car stolen as he’s a man willing to get it back by any means necessary. Pattinson and Pearce do have this amazing rapport as two men trying to reach their destination but also confront those that had wronged them as well as made them feel worthless in a lawless world.

The Rover is an incredible film from David Michod that features great performances from Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson. Along with its gorgeous cinematography, eerie music score, unsettling tone, and its modern yet visceral approach to the western, the film is definitely a film that isn’t afraid to be grimy and violent while also playing into two men who feel rejected by this dark world only to stand up for some kind of principle that the world had lost. In the end, The Rover is a sensational film from David Michod.

David Michod Films: Animal Kingdom - (War Machine) – (The King (2019 film))

© thevoid99 2021

Animal Kingdom

Written and directed by David Michod, Animal Kingdom tells the story of a young man who is forced to live with his estranged grandmother following the drug overdose death of his mother. During his stay, he learns that his grandmother and uncles are part of a crime family that gets involved in all sorts of things as they’re evading the police. Based on real life Pettingill crime family from Melbourne in the late 1980s, it is a study of a young man’s discovery of the dark underworld. Starring Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, James Frecheville, Sullivan Stapleton, Luke Ford, Jacki Weaver, and Guy Pearce. Animal Kingdom is a haunting yet compelling crime drama from David Michod.

After his mother dies of a heroin overdose, Joshua “J” Cody (James Frecheville) is picked up by his estranged grandmother Janine “Smurf” Cody (Jacki Weaver) to live with her and his uncles. The eldest Andrew “Pope” Cody (Ben Mendelsohn) is missing while Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) and the youngest Darren (Luke Ford) are living with their mother as they do crime with their friend Barry “Baz” Brown (Joel Edgerton). J knew what they were doing as he got a glimpse of what his family does. When Pope finally makes an appearance one night to meet with Baz, Baz reveals that he’s been watched by two detectives at his house asking for Pope’s whereabouts.

A further private meeting between Pope and Baz about what is next leads to disaster when the family is unsure what to do. J turns to his girlfriend Nicky (Laura Wheelwright) for help as Pope and his brothers decide to launch an attack on the two detectives who are looking for Pope. J decides to be involved as well by stealing a car for his uncles so they can launch the attack. The next day, J and his uncles were arrested as J is interrogated by a detective named Nathan Leckie (Guy Pearce). J goes to Nicky and her family to stay the night as he’s later picked up by Darren and Pope to talk with their lawyer (Dan Wyllie) who gives J some instructions in case he’s questioned again.

J would have another interrogation with Leckie following another incident as Pope is aware that J is becoming a liability who will say anything to Leckie. Pope decides to get rid of some loose ends while J realizes how much trouble he is as he turns to Leckie. With Darren and Pope in trouble, it’s up to Smurf to settle things with help from corrupt officials as J is now a target. Yet, J has plans of his own to settle everything else that is going on.

The film is essentially a noir-like crime drama about a young man entering into this dark underworld where he has an idea of what his uncles do. Yet, he has no idea how eerie it is as he’s surrounded by uncles who are more troubled than he is. Even as his girlfriend is getting a chance to see what this underworld is while he’s being watched by a non-corrupt, good-hearted detective. Amidst all of this is his grandmother, a woman who is a maternal figure for all the people involved as she is just as corrupt and organized as her sons are. Though she isn’t a dangerous person, she is someone who can slime her way into getting what she wanted.

Writer/director David Michod definitely creates a soothing yet chilling mood with his script as it weaves it way into creating tension and chaos whenever something goes wrong. Even as it’s told early on from the perspective of J that includes some voice-over narration just to give an idea of what the family does and who they are. Michod’s direction is very stylish in terms of its mood and how he can create scenes that involve three or four actors. Notably an intimate moment between Detective Leckie and J where Leckie gives this great monologue about what J should do.

The direction also succeeds in how violence is portrayed. It’s not done in an overly-gore approach with a lot of films though it is intense and at times, bloody. Yet, it’s a bit more restrained due to what the characters are doing as they either go for revenge or just to take someone out of the picture. Michod creates something that is intriguing while allowing the audience to follow this young man as he becomes a liability for a world his late mother never wanted him to see. Overall, Michod creates an eerie yet captivating crime film that is really nothing like anything else.

Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw does an excellent job with the film‘s photography that is a bit de-saturated for its look. Yet, it works to maintain a noir-like style for the film including some eerie nighttime scenes around Melbourne. One of the best shots of the film is a scene near a desert during a confrontation between Craig and the police that is beautiful to watch. Editor Luke Doolan does a fantastic job with the film’s stylized yet hypnotic editing from some straightforward cutting montages and transitions. Even in some slow-motion yet enchanting montages to create the dark mood for the film as Doolan’s work is a real technical highlight.

Production designer Josephine Ford and art director Janie Parker do some really good work with the look of the homes and places that the characters live in. Notably the home of Smurf with its middle-class look with some really nice things. Even the museum where J and Smurf meet with a couple of lawyers in a great scene has something that is truly wonderful to see. Costume designer Cappi Ireland does an amazing job on the costumes from the casual-like clothing the men wear to the dresses that Smurf wears to complement her motherly personality.

Sound designer Sam Petty does a phenomenal job with the sound work in the film from the violent scenes to some location setting including the places in Melbourne. Even in scenes with cars and what goes on at home as Petty’s work is truly another of the film’s technical highlights. Music composer Antony Partos does a great job with the film’s brooding yet mesmerizing score. Notably with a plaintive piano and ambient textures to create a noir-like feel for the film as it is definitely a score that is really captivating to listen to. Even as the soundtrack includes a mixture of rock, dance music, and pop as it features a video of Air Supply’s All Out of Love.

The casting by Kirsty McGregor is superb with its array of memorable performances from its cast to its leading actors to smaller roles. Notable appearances in fantastic performances include Anna Lise Phillips as J’s barrister, Justin Rosniak as a corrupt cop that Smurf knows, Anthony Hayes as Leckie’s associate, Susan Prior as Nicky’s mother, Clayton Jacobson as Nicky’s father, and Mirrah Foulkes as Baz’s wife. Dan Wyllie is great as the family lawyer who is just as slimy as the Cody family with his ideas of what J should do. Laura Wheelwright is good as Nicky, J’s girlfriend who finds herself going deep into the dark world of his family unaware of how dark it is.

Joel Edgerton is superb as Baz, the family friend and organizer who is being watched as he suggests about what the family should do. Though it’s a small role, Edgerton really stands out as the least corruptible member of the crime team. Sullivan Stapleton is phenomenal as Craig, the most outgoing Cody family member who runs a drug thing on his own as he is also the most vulnerable in what is a fantastic performance. Luke Ford is very good as Darren, the youngest Cody brother who is also the least experienced as he tries to get J away from what is happening though is often in shock of what is going on.

Guy Pearce is amazing as Leckie, a good-natured detective who tries to get J to talk while reminding him of the dangers he is in as Pearce really plays the man just trying to what is right for everyone. James Frecheville is wonderful as J, the soft-spoken young man whose innocence is shattered once he enters into a dark underworld. Frecheville’s understated yet entrancing performance is really powerful as he plays a boy who just doesn’t want to be into this dark world. Ben Mendelsohn is great as Pope, the eldest Cody brother who is very quiet but also the most ruthless in how he does things. Even as Mendelsohn is someone who acts like a fraternal figure but his methods are very discomforting as it’s definitely a mesmerizing performance.

Finally, there’s Jacki Weaver in what is definitely an outstanding performance as Smurf. Weaver has this maternal soul in her in the way she loves her boys and the way she kisses them. Even when they’re in trouble, she charms her way into making sure they get out as if she’s the unsung leader of the group though she doesn’t do anything. It’s a superb performance from a woman known as a star in Australia as Weaver really brings a sense of warmth to a woman that is corrupt and dark.

Animal Kingdom is a magnificent and chilling crime film from David Michod featuring a phenomenal ensemble cast led by Jacki Weaver, Ben Mendelsohn, James Frecheville, and Guy Pearce. Audiences who enjoy gripping yet exciting crime films will definitely see this as something different but entrancing to watch. Even in the way Michod presents his characters and their setting in a noir-like fashion. In the end, Animal Kingdom is one of 2010’s finest films as help remind audiences why Australian cinema can still brings surprises to an unsuspecting audience.

David Michod Films: The Rover (2014 film) - (War Machine) - (The King (2019 film))

© thevoid99 2011