MYSTERY ROAD
Australia, 2018, 300 minutes, Colour.
Aaron Pedersen, Judy Davis, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair, Colin Friels, Anthony Hayes, Tasia Zalar, Madeleine Madden, Aaron L.Mc Grath, Rohan Mirchandaney, Meyne Wyatt, Tasma Walton, Ernie Dingo, Connor Van Vuuren, Eddie Baroo, Ningali Alford, John Waters, Kris Mc Quade.
Directed by Rachel Perkins.
The character of aboriginal detective, Jay Swan, played by Aaron Pedersen, first appeared in the acclaimed film, directed by Ivan Sen, Mystery Road. With success, there was a sequel, Goldstone. Again successful – with the result that the decision was made to create a television series.
Aaron Pedersen repeats his role but was joined with an extraordinarily strong cast, co-starring with Judy Davis as the police chief of the town. She appears with her husband, Colin Friel’s who portrays her brother in the film. The aboriginal cast is led by Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair, with Ernie Dingo in a significant role. There are guest cameos by actors like Anthony Hayes, John Waters, Kris Mc Quade, Tasma Walton.
The film has been directed by Rachel Perkins (Radiance, Bran Nue Dae). It has been filmed in striking Western Australian locations.
Once again, there is a murder mystery. And, Jay Swan is sent in by the authorities but is a loner, working with the police chief but not always reporting to her. His daughter suddenly arrives, then his wife, so there are some domestic issues about Jay – although mother and daughter play significant roles in the resolution of the story.
The film shows vividly the police work in the town, the ever-presence of the chief of police, her somewhat lazy assistant, her vigorous assistant, a man who has Indian origins. There is also the background of farming, the need for water, the decrease in aquifers, deals in selling property. Colin Friel’s plays the owner of the property – with his sister wanting to find out more about the treatment of aborigines and uncovering ugly stories from family history. The aboriginal presence is very strong in the town, the council leadership, especially that of the authority played by Ernie dingo, one of those thought to be murdered, a champion football player, a girl in the town who has been raped in the past and works in a restaurant, and the man accused of the rape who spent 10 years in jail and has now been released, his still claiming his innocence.
There are also the itinerant workers, the drug dealers and the truck drivers, all leading to complexities of plot.
This series is well-made, moves at a steady pace rather than slam-bang action, has very good performances and direction – raises quite a number of Australian issues.
1. The impact of the initial films about Jay Swan? Characters, Situations, Police Investigations? The Outback?
2. The television series, the episode, the continuity?
3. The West Australian settings, the town, streets and buildings, the desert, the sea, cliffs, the terrain? The property, the homestead, the outlying huts, the waterfall, the roads, the transports, the service station, surveillance? Police precincts, restaurants, shops? Council offices? Atmosphere? The musical score?
4. Judy Davis as Emma, her work, her brother and the property, interest in their ancestors and the reputation, relationship with the aborigines? Emma and her husband, divorced, his work as a lawyer, his taking on cases, confronting Emma? Emma and her research, discovery about the ancestors, her shock? Her two assistants at the station, Ryan and his seeming laziness, the assistant from India and his conscientiousness? Her personality, at headquarters, her hours of work, on the spot, her relationships with various people in the town, with Shevorne and her background? Keith Groves and his leadership in the town? Kerry and her sons? Larry her brother and his imprisonment? Return of Larry? The Council offices? The interviews?
5. Jay, his background, cases, reputation, the comment about the bikies, the threats to his wife and daughter? His reticence? Being sent by the authorities, accepting the job, yet alone? His daughter’s arrival, interactions with her, wanting her to go? Their leaving home? His wife’s arrival? His work on the job, the details of the case, his going at locations, exploring? Inspecting the locations, the interviews, on his own, not reporting back to Emma?
6. The families, Kerry and her son at home, attitude towards money? Larry and his release, his going to the home, his reputation, paedophile? Her anxieties?
7. Keith, his role in the town, authority, pictures on the wall, the interactions with Larry, confronting him, doing deals, especially for the property? His assistant and the various connections, the thugs?
8. Shevorne, her story, the rape, her age, the case in court, suffering, the testimony, Emma and the sentence for Larry? The child, the unknown father? Her work, tense, relationship with Marley, silent, making contact with him, Reese as her boyfriend? His disappearance? Her friendship with Crystal Swan and helping her?
9. Reese and Marley, their friendship, Marley and his reputation as a football player, at home, drug experiments, friendship, the story, driving, leaving the vehicle running, the violence, his running away? Hitchhiking? Hiding in the hut, Shevorne and her help, being found, his fears? His lying?
10. Reese, casual worker, change of identity, drugs, his story, being found dead, in the waterfall? His mother and her identifying him, her interviews with Emma, visit, going to the waterfall, wanting a memorial, the objections of the aboriginal women?
11. The girl from Queensland, her arrival, the back story, the interviews, identifying Reese, attacking Shevorne? The false identity? Her going home?
12. The security man, the hauling trucks, interrogation, in prison? His lies? The surveillance, Jay proving that he had been at the service station? The story, the flashbacks, the drive, the shooting, the thugs?
13. Keith and his office, ambitions for the town, Dot and her work there? The discussion with Emma, especially about the memorial, about the history, the outlining of the history?
14. Keith, the clashes with Larry, the truth about Larry, the confrontation? The shooting?
15. Larry, the accusations, reputation, 10 years in prison, Marley visiting him, the truth, his return, interviews with Jay? Kerry welcoming him, the other shunning him? Going out to the hut, the visits, helping at the end?
16. Emma’s brother, his attitude, the property, his wife, issues of the water and the aquifer declining, the checking? His decision to sell, not caring about his staff, not knowing much about them, wanting the work, the discussion with Emma, the research, the facts about the family, the lies and the heritage? Emma confronting him about the deal? The sale, Emma and her money? Investing it?
17. The travelling workers, backpackers, drugs, the relationship between the two, getting involved in the case?
18. Jay, the film showing his work as a detective, the silent investigator, using his brains, his family helping, Crystal and his wife? The confrontation with his wife, the relationship?
19. The future for each of the characters?
20. The exploration of race themes, history, the outback, properties, the massacres, responsibility for what to sentence, responsibility rather than guilt?
