Restraint

Aroview: Gripping, stripped-back thriller from across the ditch, in which an agoraphobic toff is taken hostage by a young couple on the run from the law, after they seek refuge in his isolated outback mansion.

Richly character-driven and skilfully acted, this theatrical teaser dangles suggestively on a pendulum of psychological power-plays, as issues of class resentment and hidden desires simmer close to the surface when the hostage turns out to be more of a handful than the fugitives had bargained for. Corresponding the trio’s ambiguous intentions and knife-edge emotions with tightly framed, foreboding camerawork and a seasoned pro’s sense of pacing, this is an impressive debut for dir. Denneen, exploiting the oft-used hostage scenario for maximum tension without the usual reliance on special effects.

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