The Nightingale

Set in 19th century Australia, The Nightingale follows Aisling Franciosi’s Clare as she embarks on a campaign of revenge against the men, led by Sam Claflin’s Hawkins, responsible for the death of her husband and child – with Clare accompanied, reluctantly, by an Aboriginal tracker named Billy (Baykali Ganambarr). Filmmaker Jennifer Kent delivers a gritty, unflinching portrait of the Australian outback that’s certainly quite compelling throughout, and it’s clear, too, that the writer/director has elicited strong work from a cast comprised of both new and familiar faces – with Franciosi’s often riveting performance matched by a strong assortment of periphery players. (Claflin sheds any trace of his teen idol persona here, that’s for sure.) It’s disappointing to note, then, that The Nightingale slowly-but-surely loses its grip on the viewer as it progresses into its increasingly erratic midsection, with the thin narrative stretched to its breaking point during the movie’s absolutely ludicrous 136 minute running time. (And it’s clear, too, that the padded-out third act is hardly able, as a result, able to pack the visceral, emotional punch that Kent has obviously intended.) The end result is a meticulously-crafted yet distressingly hit-and-miss thriller that could (and should) have been so much better, although, admittedly, there’s no denying that Kent, with just her second picture, has cemented her place as a seriously talented (and thoroughly promising) up-and-coming filmmaker.

** out of ****