Nitram

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source: Nitram

I understand that the film itself is already controversial because of 1996's devastating Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania. And this film: tried shedding some light on an emotionally disconnected alien in Martin 'Nitram' Bryant. The main character is so far removed from his own feelings you actually get the frustrations of being is his shoes; and then you realise the frustration also comes from the lack of clear motivation besides the whole 'society is bad' mantra people now associate with the film Joker. I typically like 'lone wolf' stories (Taxi Driver, Joker and the Man With No Name Trilogy come to mind), but this one tried humanising a suicidal mid-20s sociopath who joked about the massacre saying that Port Arthur and Antartica had this in common: 'Minus 35'. I'm not kidding; he actually said that to a security guard whilst in court. This film tries to leave you impacted by all that in can ONLY imply instead of showing you or telling you (vaguely) what the hell it's trying to go for dramatically. In Joker we got he visceral AND psychological sense of the world hating/rejecting the main character but Bryant here: it's difficult to tell what the hell kind of emotions you're supposed to feel besides pure dread they adapted a story trying to humanise a man with the emotional depth of a Neo-Nazi. I understand the intent they were going for with this film; I just strongly disagreed with it during its near-2-hour runtime. 2.5/5 stars: solid direction needing a firmer story and general script.

The fragility of serenity, shattered by hostility, insanity and marginiality, supported through ineffective laws, ignorance and depravity. An awful story of disbelief with performances that leave you aghast at the events that took place, the processes that led up to them, and wondering just how far away we are from the next one and if anything could ever be (genuinely) done in prevention.

As someone who lived through the Port Arthur Massacre I found the film a fascinating background to the event. Not usually a huge fan of Aussie movies but was riveted by this one. Fantastic acting also.

I went and saw this film with a friend yest and knowing the background on Australia's and one of the World's worst mass shootings i knew most of the story. What hit me was the acting. Simply great. Judy Davis is one of the best actors around but they are all great in it. This film has opened with some not wanting it to be shown which i can understand,but i think it should. It says rightly that someone that unhinged should never have access to weapons like that. A must see.

There is no getting around the horrors of the event that 'Nitram' prepares the viewer for, but thankfully does not actually depict. Instead it creates a portrait, in fact a series of portraits of not only the notorious killer responsible for the Port Arthur massacre of 1996, but the key figures in his life. I appreciate that the movie has received equal plaudits as well as disdain and displeasure at its very existence, but as a drama, it is a powerful one, and even 25 years on, this deep wound in the Australian psyche is evident in the way that understandably some folks have protested that it was made at all. Casting Caleb Landry Jones in the title role was a very smart move, as he has started to make a name for himself in a short space of time and prolifically played outsiders and mostly unsavory young men. He gets to really deep dive into menace and dysfunction here and the film is cleverly shot and edited to add to that atmosphere of building tension and a foreshadowing of horror. He won the Best Actor at Cannes for this, but I sense that other award bodies may not be so generous, as this is an intensely unflattering and unsettling performance, but nevertheless intense and indelible. It is always an occasion to watch Judy Davis, and here, the veteran actor shows why she is simply one of the world's finest; here playing the mother to the title character and giving a performance of such complexity and of some deeply disturbing elements and I don't doubt that Ms Davis will receive an AACTA nomination for the performance. Another Davis - Essie Davis (no relation) is also quite spellbinding here for different reasons as a quirky and somewhat broken individual who forms a monkey grip of a relationship with Nitram. Both eminent actresses help to show other sides to the psyche of the main character, but are that good, they offer fully formed portraits in their own right. Anthony LaPaglia as the father is also very good, and a few key scenes are also awards worthy, and are some of the most disturbing scenes in the film. The performances will not be forgotten in a hurry. There is not a lot of new content here, as there have been many movies made chronicling the pathway of a psychotic person's road to murder, but this one, set in the picturesque innocence of an Australian town is made more cogent by that shattering of the idyllic setting, and how gun laws or lack thereof facilitated this heinous crime. Justin Kurzel the Director has made a career of portraying such horrors and whilst it is not my regular cinematic 'cup of tea' I had to view this as an essential piece of Aussie filmmaking and the chance to see some of the best in the industry tell a story, that in all honesty, we don't really want to see, nor see again into the future. The film I believe is wanting to be part of that wish that Australia never has to have its national psyche shellshocked again.