BLAME

Shot in the scrubby, washed-out hills of Roleystone, Western Australia, and starring a who’s-who of up-and-comers, this could well be the little Aussie thriller that could. In this simple tale of cat-and-mouse following a botched revenge murder attempt, director and writer Michael Henry eschews cleverness and complexity in favour of character believability and ticking bomb tension. Piano teacher Bernard (Damian de Montemas) is the target, caught in the crossfire of a bereaved sister (Kestie Morassi), a twisted enfant terrible (Sophie Lowe) and three boys veering from brutality to sensitivity. As the title suggests, one fated day becomes a murky blame game in which there are no winners. Met with acclaim at its Melbourne International Film Festival and Toronto Festival debuts, Blame hits screens guilt-free. (AB) ***