Review of The Water Diviner (2014) by Jon C — 24 Apr 2015

I was not prepared.

This movie ended up being way more emotional than I thought.

Give Russell Crowe credit though for making his directorial debut and starring in his own role.

It's a constant reminder that war is just plain awful; no one wants it and when it happens all it does is create more violence and take people away from us all.

A father water digger sets out to find his sons that were dragged into the horrors of World War I in Turkey to find peace with his deceased wife.

This is a man that has high hopes and lets nothing bewilder him.

The landscape and exotic locales of Australia and Istanbul are a treasure despite a bloody conflict taking shape.

Parents outliving their children is as much as curse as it is a blessing.

A man is defined by how much he loves his children not by his grit or his strength or victory in battle.

Crowe does a splendid job here battling the odds.

I ended up welling up a bit at least twice in this one.

It's very effective that the subject of war is always constant and brutal no matter what part of the world it takes place in.

Solid, well-acted, and emotionally resonant on multiple levels.