If it’s a movie set in a quaint, quiet town, there’s probably a mountain of dark secrets lurking beneath the surface — and in that regard, The Dry delivers. The film itself is set in Kiewarra, an Australian farming community under the thumb of drought and tragedy. Eric Bana stars as Aaron Falk, a federal agent returning to his childhood hometown for a funeral. But it’s not just another somber visit, there are layers to it that Aaron never imagined. At the forefront is the death of his friend Luke (Martin Dingle-Wall) who’s accused of taking the lives of his family in a brutal murder-suicide. That one event starts digging into old wounds and buried secrets from Aaron’s past.
Falk eventually launches an investigation into Luke’s death and things become messy, personal, and ridden with small-town drama. Things get dicey when an unsolved crime from decades back begins to bubble to the resurface. It’s the way The Dry captures the weight of a town burdened by both physical and emotional drought, that makes it stand out. Besides the sun-baked, cracked earth, the film also digs into strained relationships and hidden grudges that show every character in a bad light. At the end of the day, nothing is what it seems in The Dry and that’s just one of the things that make it a compelling watch.
‘The Dry’s Layered Timelines Deepen the Mystery of Kiewarra

Image via IFC Films

A lot of elements have to align for a movie to seamlessly move between two timelines, and in that regard, The Dry hits the target. Right from the start, viewers aren’t merely wrapping their heads around Luke’s death in the present, but they equally have to explore the circumstances surrounding Ellie’s (Bebe Bettencourt) unsolved murder in the past. But rather than telling two separate stories that manage to share a connection or two, both timelines continuously feed into each other in a way that feels anything but forced. The flashbacks aren’t just randomly thrown in there, they each serve a very specific purpose. For instance, every time Falk revisits his memories of Ellie, the audience is reminded of how much his unresolved guilt affects him in the present day. There’s a scene where Aaron is taking a walk through Ellie’s old stomping grounds, with the camera alternating between the dry, empty present and the green, luscious past. The contrast brings into focus just how much has changed, as well as what really hasn’t.

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As seamlessly interconnected as the timelines are, they don’t give everything away. The moment the pieces of the puzzle start to fit, another flashback throws in a detail about Ellie’s death that changes everything. By weaving these timelines so tightly, The Dry doesn’t just deliver an intricate and well-thought-out story, it creates a setup where the past and present are in constant conversation — and it’s not a very straightforward exchange.
A Clever Use of Misdirection and Clues Lead to ‘The Dry’s Climactic Reveals

Misdirection is the name of the game in The Dry — the moment viewers think they’ve cracked the case, the film throws in clever clues no one saw coming. Aaron Falk’s investigation into the Hadler family tragedy seems like a pretty straightforward premise from the onset. The theory that Luke Hadler killed his entire family due to financial struggles seems logical right off the bat. In fact, the evidence appears to support it, so it’s no surprise that the entire town quickly accepts the explanation. But as Falk digs deeper, he begins to poke holes as inconsistencies begin to bubble to the surface.
One standout moment presents itself when Falk stumbles upon Ellie’s hidden diary. What first seems like a peek at Aaron’s unresolved past with Ellie turns into a major breakthrough in the investigation. Her words bring to light secrets about the town that tie directly to the Hadler case. The best part about all the twists and turns is how they only reveal their true significance when it’s practically too late to piece them together. However, all the mental chaos is worth it because, by the time the big twist is delivered, the connections between Ellie’s diary, Luke’s behavior, and the town’s hidden conflicts become clear.
The Dry is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
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The Dry

Release Date

January 1, 2021

Runtime

117 minutes

Director

Robert Connolly

Writers

Harry Cripps

Producers

Andrew Myer, Bruna Papandrea, Eric Bana, Steve Hutensky, Ricci Swart

Cast

Genevieve O’Reilly

Gretchen Schoner