Monday, June 30, 2014

The Rover (dir. by David Michôd)


Last night I saw "The Rover" at Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills.  It was flameski.  Being a terrific fan of David Michôd's "Animal Kingdom", I was eager to see literally anything he might put out.  Guy Pearce is a legend... lets not fart about it, but my favorite film sees him in a 19th century placed, Australian, Noir, 'western' entitled "The Proposition".  There are immediate similarities one might draw between these films with him as leading man:  Criminal fraternity existentially endangered at gun point... men with nothing to lose... the hot dusty outback as a backdrop... and yet, Michôd's "Rover" takes place in the future.  A world (almost) laughingly washed in nihilistic absurdity until (for a few) the film's final scene.  The Mad Max apocalypse thing has been done.  And while on paper this may be diced as a narrative about revenge... it is a character driven relationship piece that finds its own way.  "The Rover" is a career redefining film for "Twilight" mega hunk, Robert Pattinson.  Half witted, bloody, and profoundly innocent he is the film's beating heart among a cast of characters so cold, desperate and noir it makes you cringe.  Scoot McNairy plays a moving performance as Pattinson's brother.  The sound design/score in the film is incredible too.  The score for the film was composed by Antony Partos and performed by sound designer Sam Petty. (They both also masterminded the sounds for Michôd's "Animal Kingdom.")  I've got the score for stream below...

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