The Nightingale ★★★★
AUSTRALIAN director Jennifer Kent’s second film is an extraordinary, emotional experience.
The Nightingale attempts to create respect and understanding between black and white Australians through a tough and uncompromising history lesson.
This is a brutal and relentless revenge story that brings the victims together through the depth of their shared sorrows and challenges the viewer to look into their own conscience.
Set in colonial Tasmania in 1825, a young Irish convict woman, Clare, has been released from prison into the service of a British military officer Lieutenant Hawkins.
The 21 year-old mother of a young baby and her husband Aidan cannot be freed until Hawkins approves. As the couple grow more desperate at Hawkins’ indifference to their requests there is a confrontation that results in the ambitious officer not being recommended for a promotion.
In ferocious retaliation, he and two of his men attack the family with devastating consequences.
Clare is left for dead and Hawkins and his men set off through the wilderness to a northern military outpost in the hope he can still gain his much desired position.
A ruthlessly determined Clare pursues them with the aid of Aboriginal tracker Billy.
At the start of their journey the pair are diametrically opposed with little respect or understanding of each other’s personal and cultural circumstances.
Before the final bloody confrontation the pair will unite through grief, sorrow, pain and revenge.
The Nightingale is not subtle in its themes or depiction of the worst excesses of these dark times in our history…and nor should it be.
Multiple murders, including of children, and horrendous sexual assaults permeate the film throughout.
As a seasoned watcher of strong drama, this is still one of the toughest experiences I’ve had in some years. You can feel the raw pain and anger in Clare and Billy’s faces and voices.
The film is presented in standard ratio meaning a traditional square screen that intensifies the claustrophobic tension felt by the audience.
The four central performances are quite brilliant and very moving.
Young Irish actress Aisling Franciosi is compelling as Claire in only her second feature film while Baykali Ganambarr as Billy was voted Best Young Actor at the Venice Film Festival where The Nightingale was hailed by critics amid some walkouts.
Sam Claflin, previously best known for the Hunger Games film series, upturns his nice guy persona to play the despicable Hawkins while Damon Herriman adds to his gallery of rouges as one of Hawkins’ degenerate men.
Sometimes cinema is just there to entertain; sometimes to provoke emotion and debate.
But sometimes it can shake the life out of you. The Nightingale provides one of those truly difficult and rewarding experiences.