LUCKY COUNTRY
Image: Lucky Country is a convincing psychological thriller that generally strikes gold. It’s 1902, and a series of dark events unfold following the arrival of three soldiers to the remote homestead of father Nat (Aden Young), daughter Sarah (Hanna Mangan-Lawrence) and son Tom (Toby Wallace). (AB)
Set in 1902, a year past the Federation, this film inevitably grapples with what ‘Australia’ means. Is it, “to live simply, to work hardly, to win not the gold that poisons but the home that saves …”, as the young boy (Toby Wallace, who is definitely a talent to watch) recites throughout? It doesn’t seem likely, as a series of dark events unfold following the arrival of three soldiers to the remote homestead of father Nat (Aden Young), daughter Sarah (Hanna Mangan-Lawrence) and son Tom (Wallace). The story is lean, the landscape shots suitably ominous, and the performances sound. Lucky Country is a convincing psychological thriller that generally strikes gold – but could have delved into the meaty stuff quicker.
