GOLDSTONE

Australia, 2016, 110 minutes, Colour.
Aaron Pedersen, Alex Russell, Jacki Weaver, David Wenham, Tom E. Lewis, Pei Pei Cheng, Michelle Lilm Davidson, Kate Beahan, Max Cullen.
Directed by Ivan Senn.

The police thriller, Mystery Road, made quite some impact when it was released in 2013. Set in outback Queensland, it was a detective story, missing persons, aboriginal themes, financial interests and conflicts. These ingredients are substantial and they are incorporated into this new police thriller, Goldstone, the name of the town, or settlement near a gold mine, that is location for this film, also shot in outback Queensland.

Much of the impact from Mystery Road came from the casting of Aaron Pedersen as an aboriginal detective working on missing persons and uncovering many dark secrets. At the opening of this film, he’s driving drunk along the Queensland roads, pulled up by the young police officer in Goldstone, Alex Russell, and finding himself in a prison cell. However, when he is recognised as the detective, he begins his search for a Chinese woman who has disappeared.

Aaron Peterson’s Jay is like a number of the detectives and private eyes of fiction and thriller films, down on his luck, on his self-esteem, experiencing death and grief, relying too much on drink. He is a strong-minded man, however, challenges the young policeman who has thoughts of what he might have been instead of being stuck in this small and avaricious community. He finds clues about the missing woman, interviewing a travelling prostitute in her van, Pinky (Kate Beahan), learning that Chinese prostitutes are flown in, their passports taken, no visas acquired, and are kept as virtual prisoners at the local bar/club.

And there are even more complications, especially with the goldmine (and an impressive shot as Jay watches a huge excavation explosion). The boss of the mine is played by David Wenham, working on legislation to extend permits, trying to deal with the local aboriginal community, the leader who is in favour of development (Tom E. Lewis) and the tribal elder, played by the archetypal David Goulpilil, who is not.

The mayor of the town should be mentioned, more than mentioned. She is played by Jacki Weaver, touches of sweetness and light and apple pie (literally) on the surface, but as she explains to Jay, hard as nails like her father and grandfather, looking out for number 1. She gathers information, wants the young policeman to keep her informed, puts pressure on the aborigines. Altogether a tough piece of work.

Ivan Senn wrote the screenplay, directed and edited the film (and also composed the musical score). In his films, Beyond Clouds, Toomelah, he has presented aboriginal themes and, as he did in Mystery Road, blends them with contemporary Australian issues, country town problems, mining and the environment, deals with aboriginal communities, financial coverups, and the presence of illegal workers and visa problems as well as sex trafficking.

Audiences will be involved in the life of the town, the variety of characters, the tensions and challenges.

It is worth noting that prior to the opening credits there is an impressive succession of photographs of colonial times, of pioneering, of the old towns, of aborigines, of the Chinese – while, at the end, Jay goes bush and explores aboriginal cave paintings.

1. An interesting police drama, thriller, detection, social comment? Piece of Australiana?

2. The establishing of the character of Jay in Mystery Road? Continuing his story? His depression, alcoholism, the loner, aboriginal identity, experiences of racism…?

3. The Queensland locations, the town of Middleton and Winton, the desert, the mines, the arid landscapes? The mining huts, the stores, the caravans? The bar? The musical score?

4. Aaron Pederson and his role as Jay? His character, his back story, his work as a detective? The development of his character?

5. The opening credits, the range of photos, the background to Australian development in the 19th and 20th centuries? Aborigines, the Chinese, the opening up of towns, work, the mines? The photos giving a tone to the film?

6. Jay driving, drunk, Josh and his pursuit, arresting him, Jay collapsing in the cell, sleeping it off? Josh getting the information? Jay going to the motel? His job and assignment? The missing Chinese girl? The mystery? His search, the discussions with Maria and the finding of various clues, the old man giving him the passport, tracking where the girl had gone, pieces of clothing, jewellery, finding her corpse? Closing the case?

7. The town, the settlement, the goldmine? The site, security and fences, the guards, John as the boss? His interview with Josh, offering him the bribe? John’s attitude towards the aborigines? The deals with Tommy? The visuals of the mine at work, the huge explosion? The old prospector and the fool’s gold? The change in legislation, extending the rights of the mine, prosperity?

8. Josh, the young policeman, his assignment in the town? Finding Jay? Talking to John, the offer of the bribe? In the diner, talking with the mayor, her wanting information, her wanting his support for the legislation? An eye on the aborigines? The gift of the apple pie? Josh and his work, his being challenged by Jay? The concern about the prostitutes, going to the bar, interviewing the girls, their silence? His going to the girl in the room, getting an impression of what had happened? His becoming more involved? The death of Jimmy? The pressure from the mayor? His going to see her after Tommy’s confession and statement? The buildup to his being taken by the security guards, the digging of the grave, the shootout? His reflections on his growing up in the country, not achieving what he might have been, wanting more, putting in a request for a transfer to the ocean?

9. The mayor, Jacki Weaver, appearance, dress style, her home, cooking? Knowing everything? Information? Warning Josh? A relationship with John? Issues of money and bribes? Knowledge about what was going on with the illegal prostitutes? Threats, Jimmy and his refusing to sign the document? Her interview with Jay, talking about her life, her husband’s, her parents, hard, being number one? John breaking off with her? Josh coming, his having the information? The disappearance?

10. The security, the gates, no photos, the men drinking, and in the cell? The strong arm tactics by the security men? The shooting assault on the caravan? Chasing Jay and the crash? Josh, the threat of death, digging his grave? The deaths in the shootout? Josh and Jay going to the camp, the attack, deaths?

11. Jimmy, the old aborigine, his being played by David Gulpilil, his interactions with Jay, the aboriginal traditions? His refusing to sign the document? Walking off? Jay giving him the lift, their talk? His being hanged? His later appearing to Tommy, on the road, appearing to Jay and indicating the aboriginal paintings?

12. Tommy, his role in the aboriginal community? The aborigines, the settlement, homes? Maria and her information? The assembly for the signing of the document? John and the presentation? Tommy and his signing? The payoffs, the mayor urging him to look to the future and moving on? Jimmy’s death? Tommy being haunted, giving his statement to Josh?

13. The interlude with Pinky, her trailer, the travelling prostitute, a character, discussions with Jay, indicating the lifestyle at the settlement?

14. The plane, the Chinese, Mrs Lao, the girls arriving, her pep talk, taking their passports, the continued threats, their being shamed at home? In the bar, ratings for the customers? The girls, in themselves?

15. The girls trapped, complying, in themselves, the girl with the coffee at the fence and the threats? The temptation to take the keys and escape? May talking with Josh? The background to the dead girl and her attempt to escape?

16. Jay, depressed, deaths in his family, drinking, observing, collecting the clues, visiting the mine, the question of the girls? Their being taken to the mining camp? Hidden in the laundry? Jay and his interactions with Josh, changing him for the better? With the mayor?

17. The buildup to the climax, Jay in the hills, shooting? His driving along the tarmac, the crash, the plane taking off, John and his running to escape in the plane?

18. The change in Jay, his leaving the town, canoeing along the river and the cliffs, the aboriginal paintings, Jimmy pointing them out? The final close-up of his face?

19. From the photos of pioneering days to the aboriginal paintings?