There is a flaw in the film in that it looks so amazing. Every scene is so gorgeous that it detracts from the drama. Presumably the superb look is meant to contrast with the human story but it almost overwhelms it. The story is simple and could have done with a plainer look.
That said the story comes alive because of the acting. The children who play Molly, Daisy and Gracie are excellent, quite natural and subdued. Their heroic trek back home is made all the more extraordinary by them being ordinary, not plaster saints. The scene where they are removed from their mother is very disturbing.
As the tracker Moodoo, David Gulpilil is dignified and solid. His presence in the film has a lot of resonances from the history of Australia and the history of Australian cinema. In a small but telling role Kenneth Branagh is very effective. His A. O. Neville is a man doing his duty, a man of his time yet also as human as the three girls.
There is a great moment in the film where the girls first touch the fence and 1500 miles away their mother is also touching the fence. Deeply moving. The image of the fence as as something that can unite but something that also divides sums up the ambiguity of the idea of re-settlement of mixed race children. A very good film, quietly gripping with an ending to moisten the dryest of eyes.
That said the story comes alive because of the acting. The children who play Molly, Daisy and Gracie are excellent, quite natural and subdued. Their heroic trek back home is made all the more extraordinary by them being ordinary, not plaster saints. The scene where they are removed from their mother is very disturbing.
As the tracker Moodoo, David Gulpilil is dignified and solid. His presence in the film has a lot of resonances from the history of Australia and the history of Australian cinema. In a small but telling role Kenneth Branagh is very effective. His A. O. Neville is a man doing his duty, a man of his time yet also as human as the three girls.
There is a great moment in the film where the girls first touch the fence and 1500 miles away their mother is also touching the fence. Deeply moving. The image of the fence as as something that can unite but something that also divides sums up the ambiguity of the idea of re-settlement of mixed race children. A very good film, quietly gripping with an ending to moisten the dryest of eyes.