The film is a slow, thought-provoking presentation of two characters: a young free-spirited young girl who loves to dance, and an older tradition-bound lady who desires to keep her family inheritance. The two begin to work on each other, but in the end the young girl is not as deeply influenced and takes leave of the older woman...and her money. A little too slow, but nevertheless a telling tale of human greed. Good acting and excellent use of cinematography.
5 Reviews
Elizabeth Jolly's dark side of the moon.
DukeEman3 February 2003
Warning: Spoilers
The peculiar relationship between Hester and Katherine takes a turn for the worse in the coastal outback of Australia. After a long build up the film slides into Elizabeth Jolly's wicked sense of humour, taking a dark look at friendship and trust with the playfulness of a psychological thriller with a touch of the horror elements thrown in just for measure. But by then the film ends, leaving you with a sour taste in your mouth. Mandy Walker's photography compliments the mood but maybe a little too heavy on the blue and grey filters.
Good acting diminished by crippled script. ***SPOILER***
howardross2 June 2000
Warning: Spoilers
This movie had interesting aspects that kept me watching but it was unsatisfying. The characters seem to be genuine personalities but repeatedly do implausible things. Kathey hits and kills a pedestrian on the way home - the rational Hester thinks it's better to hide him in the well than report it as an accident. Kathey is delusional and has conversations with the man and sends down food. Hester who is willing to send Kathey down to recover the money she believes he stole is'nt willing to let Kathey go down and realise that he's dead. The film is washed in blue light the from start to finish which in a strong film might be an artistic flurish - but in this case seems to be an attempt to make it a defacto art film.
It's a near miss but finally it's just a passable film.
It's a near miss but finally it's just a passable film.
Lush Cinematography And Fine Performances
danielbr11 August 1999
The Well Starring:Miranda Otto,Pamela Rabe,Paul Chubb&Frank Wilson Directed By:Samantha Lang
The Well is a moody,atmospheric,chilling and riveting drama from Australia.
The Well stars Miranda Otto and Pamela Rabe,Otto I have seen before in True Love And Chaos and Rabe is new to me.Miranda Otto is an exciting and energetic actress who in True Love And Chaos and this film has impressed with two excellent performances.
The story of The Well involves a young,energetic,fun and free spirited girl (Miranda Otto) who comes to work as a maid for an elder,crippled lady (Pamela Rabe) whose life is currently mundane and she is eager to have a close friend.The young maid's exuberance and energy is just what the elder lady needs and the young girl's colourful personality delights her and the two become close friends.The two friends
are all set to travel to Europe together when a freak incident prevents them from doing so.
The Well begins as an arty and melancholy character study which is low key and subtle and excellently done by the two actresses and the director.Later as the two characters are placed in a tenser situation it becomes a mix of a quiet character study and a chilling thriller.Though it becomes a thriller it still maintains it's subdued and artistic style made all the more effective by it's stunning and beautifully drab cinematography.
This is an excellent example of Independent film making as here we have a film which excels in all facets.The acting and characters are credible,interesting and well played.The film's visual style is distinctive and sets the tone brillantly.The Well's story is also orginal,riveting and suspenseful without sparing on character development.
The Australians have done it again with yet another meaningful movie with well developed charcaters,an original story,terrific acting and exciting and different visuals.The Well is one of my favourite films of 1997 and it further cements Australia as a force in low budget movies.
4/5
The Well is a moody,atmospheric,chilling and riveting drama from Australia.
The Well stars Miranda Otto and Pamela Rabe,Otto I have seen before in True Love And Chaos and Rabe is new to me.Miranda Otto is an exciting and energetic actress who in True Love And Chaos and this film has impressed with two excellent performances.
The story of The Well involves a young,energetic,fun and free spirited girl (Miranda Otto) who comes to work as a maid for an elder,crippled lady (Pamela Rabe) whose life is currently mundane and she is eager to have a close friend.The young maid's exuberance and energy is just what the elder lady needs and the young girl's colourful personality delights her and the two become close friends.The two friends
are all set to travel to Europe together when a freak incident prevents them from doing so.
The Well begins as an arty and melancholy character study which is low key and subtle and excellently done by the two actresses and the director.Later as the two characters are placed in a tenser situation it becomes a mix of a quiet character study and a chilling thriller.Though it becomes a thriller it still maintains it's subdued and artistic style made all the more effective by it's stunning and beautifully drab cinematography.
This is an excellent example of Independent film making as here we have a film which excels in all facets.The acting and characters are credible,interesting and well played.The film's visual style is distinctive and sets the tone brillantly.The Well's story is also orginal,riveting and suspenseful without sparing on character development.
The Australians have done it again with yet another meaningful movie with well developed charcaters,an original story,terrific acting and exciting and different visuals.The Well is one of my favourite films of 1997 and it further cements Australia as a force in low budget movies.
4/5
This one was a big disappointment to me.
TxMike16 June 2003
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not out any money, only time, because I got this DVD as a free rental from my local library. The description on the DVD box makes it seem like a scary thriller but it is not at all. It is a story of an unlikely relationship between Hester, an older spinster woman and Kathy, a young and carefree girl who is hired and brought home as her assistant. The entire film has a blue cast to it, I presume to set the blue mood of the story. Set in Australia, there is nothing particularly new in it, and nothing particularly uplifting. Add to that rather slow and dull direction and you have a film that few will actually enjoy.
some SPOILERS follow, read further at your own risk of future surprise.
Kathy comes across as a shallow dimwit, similar to her role as Dimity in Love Serenade. But in fact she is very wily, and agrees to become Hester's assistant, and apparent love interest, only because she is after Hester's fortune. (They sleep in the same bed, but are never show in intimacy, which probably never occurred.) After Kathy poisons the old and senile father, she manipulates Hester to sell the inherited homestead and land, against her brother's wishes, and insists on loads of cash, most to finance a trip the two women are planning to Europe and America. Hester hides all the cash in two or three tins above the breakfront, not worrying because strangers never come to the isolated cottage she now lives in.
After a dance in town, Kathy persuades Hester to let her drive home. Going too fast, she purposely runs down a man and they decide to dump him into the old, dry well, rather than jeopardizing their planned trip by alerting the police. Kathy acts very disturbed by all this but in fact orchestrated the whole thing to mask the fact that she had stolen all Hester's money. Back home, Hester finds an opened container, then checks to find ALL the cash gone. Kathy fools her into believing that the man they ran down was the thief, and now all the money was at the bottom of the well. Kathy goes further in her deception, saying she hears a voice from the well, lowering food to the dead man, all to keep Hester from suspecting her.
It rains, the body floats up, Hester pushes it down, some neighbors show up to help her repair the well top, and seal it in. Hester is distraught, all her money is gone, there will be no trip with Kathy, and she will be lonely again. Kathy is happy, she has all the money, and as she leaves Hester can meet her girlfriend who is getting out of jail, and spend some time figuring out the next scam she will pull to get more money.
So, we end up with a tale of a miserable middle-aged woman who falls for a young twit, loses all in bad decision-making, and is facing a stark life. And of a smart young con artist who gets away with it. What's to like about this movie? I kept waiting for it to be good and it never made it there.
some SPOILERS follow, read further at your own risk of future surprise.
Kathy comes across as a shallow dimwit, similar to her role as Dimity in Love Serenade. But in fact she is very wily, and agrees to become Hester's assistant, and apparent love interest, only because she is after Hester's fortune. (They sleep in the same bed, but are never show in intimacy, which probably never occurred.) After Kathy poisons the old and senile father, she manipulates Hester to sell the inherited homestead and land, against her brother's wishes, and insists on loads of cash, most to finance a trip the two women are planning to Europe and America. Hester hides all the cash in two or three tins above the breakfront, not worrying because strangers never come to the isolated cottage she now lives in.
After a dance in town, Kathy persuades Hester to let her drive home. Going too fast, she purposely runs down a man and they decide to dump him into the old, dry well, rather than jeopardizing their planned trip by alerting the police. Kathy acts very disturbed by all this but in fact orchestrated the whole thing to mask the fact that she had stolen all Hester's money. Back home, Hester finds an opened container, then checks to find ALL the cash gone. Kathy fools her into believing that the man they ran down was the thief, and now all the money was at the bottom of the well. Kathy goes further in her deception, saying she hears a voice from the well, lowering food to the dead man, all to keep Hester from suspecting her.
It rains, the body floats up, Hester pushes it down, some neighbors show up to help her repair the well top, and seal it in. Hester is distraught, all her money is gone, there will be no trip with Kathy, and she will be lonely again. Kathy is happy, she has all the money, and as she leaves Hester can meet her girlfriend who is getting out of jail, and spend some time figuring out the next scam she will pull to get more money.
So, we end up with a tale of a miserable middle-aged woman who falls for a young twit, loses all in bad decision-making, and is facing a stark life. And of a smart young con artist who gets away with it. What's to like about this movie? I kept waiting for it to be good and it never made it there.
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