Beautiful Kate

Australia 2009, 97 minutes
Dir. Rachel Ward
Rating: [R18]
Genres: Drama

Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Bryan Brown, Maeve Dermody, Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lowe

Aroview: In her directing debut, seasoned actor Rachel Ward maturely handles this taboo-tinged story of an estranged son returning home to visit his dying father in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.

The adult present and childhood past are effectively interweaved and painted in a distinctively Australian palette, with terrific, sensitive performances drawn from both Ben Mendelsohn and Bryan Brown (Ward's real-life husband) and other members of this actor's showcase. From the novel by Newton Thornburg, this adaptation continues a strong tradition of disquieting, sun-parched Australian dramas.