Review of Jindabyne (2006) by Cindy V — 13 Apr 2008

If filmmakers deserve marks for establishing and maintaining a consistent atmosphere, then Ray Lawrence (Bliss) scores well with Jindabyne, a dark, almost morose film that never lets up in its exploration of alienation, troubled relationships, and how people respond when thrust into difficult situations. Itâ??s a shame that Lawrence has made only three films over more than two decades as a director, as he has a clear vision and a fascinating, distinctive style.

A troubling story based on a Raymond Carver short story, Jindabyne stars Gabriel Byrne â?? in one of his best performances â?? as Stewart Kane, a man who discovers a dead body floating in the remote Australian river to which heâ??s hiked with his three buddies for a fishing trip. Laura Linney plays Stewartâ??s wife, Claire, who is deeply disturbed when she learns that Stewart and his buddies carried on fishing through the weekend after discovering the body, and only reported it when they were done with their weekend away. These events spark the unearthing of a serious rift between the couple, and also has implications for their friends, and the larger community â?? as it happens the young woman whose body they found was an indigenous person. Tensions between indigenous people and the white community are understandably exacerbated by the apparent insensitivity and disrespect of the menâ??s actions.

Jindabyne is a dark, brooding film, and it seems that we discover more angst and dysfunction at every turn. Claire and Stewart are alienated from each other, Claire had serious problems upon the birth of their child several years previously, and itâ??s not clear as to whether the two have the resolve to repair things. With Claire powerfully motivated to make things right with the family of the dead girl and the aboriginal community, and Stewart just wanting to put the entire incident behind him, the makings of a disastrous end to their relationship are there, just waiting for a flare-up. At the same time, we also know what happened to the young woman â?? we witness the lead-up to her death right at the start of the movie â?? and we also get to see that aspect of the story playing itself out in the background.

While itâ??s most certainly not light viewing, and itâ??s entirely devoid of â??Hollywood momentsâ??, this is a fine, intelligent, troubling film. Linneyâ??s typically smart and honest performance leads the way, and Byrne â?? who so often seems to be sauntering through his other roles â?? is right there with her, simmering with unexpressed unhappiness that eventually boils over in an entirely convincing manner.

While the two main characters here are an American woman and an Irish man, this filmâ??s setting in Australia is also a refreshing aspect, as Lawrence manages to add distinctively Aussie themes that are important â?? such as the gulf between aboriginal and white society â?? to the story. This further enriches it, making it additionally compelling and authentic.

I mentioned Lawrenceâ??s distinctive style. In this case, itâ??s apparent not only in his choice of dark subject matter and his uncompromising adherence to a consistent tone; itâ??s also apparent in his one-take, â??letâ??s see what happensâ?? directing style â?? which can be terrifying for actors, but elicits spontaneous, truthful performances â?? and his decision to film Jindabyne with available light. This last decision may not even be noticeable to many viewers, but it adds an authentic real-life look to the film while also enabling the filmmaking process to move quickly (without all the set-up and takedown involved with extensive lighting), thereby further enhancing the momentum of filmmaking and the authenticity of the final result.