Three brothers: one must live; one must die; one must decide

Starring: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, John Hurt, David Wenham, Emily Watson, Richard Wilson, Noah Taylor, Jeremy Madrona

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I was, in days gone by, a believer. But, alas, I came to this beleaguered land and the God in me just evaporated. Let us change our toast, then, to the God that has forgotten us."- Jellon Lamb

Why watch this? This uber-realistic film is stark, honest and bare-bones wonderful.

Plot Summary: In the harsh Australian outback of the 1880s, two outlaw brothers are apprehended by a lawman determined to bring order to the land. Faced with an impossible choice, the captured outlaw must hunt down and kill his older brother, the true leader of their gang, within nine days to save their younger brother from hanging.

Dad's Preview: This 1880's outback Western is brutally unromantic. There are no heroics, no men who save the day. It's just kill or be killed and good luck figuring out who is noble vs. devious. Everyone is a little of both. Still, the film draws you in. So much so that you have to see it through. I feel this is Guy Pearce's best performance on the big screen. His portrayal of Charlie Burns is so raw and uncomplicated. It reminded me of "the kid" from Cormac McCarthy's likewise brutally violent book Blood Meridian.

UK Film Council, Surefire Films, Autonomous, Jackie O Prod.,
Pictures in Paradise, The Pacific Film and TV Comm., The Film
Consortium; Sony Pictures Releasing