DREAMLAND

US, 2019, 98 minutes, Colour.
Finn Cole, Margot Robbie, Travis Fimmel, Kerry Condon, Darby Camp, Stephen Dinh, voice-over: Lola Kirke.
Directed by Miles Joris- Peyrafitte.

In the US in the 1930s, during the aftermath of the collapse of Wall Street finance and the pervasive Depression, a dreamland would have been in the imaginations of many Americans. That is the setting for this drama. The particular setting is in the Dakotas, certainly a depressed area, dry and barren, subject to tornadoes (and one of the biggest we are likely to see on screen). Settlers were invited to go out to cultivate the land but found only the dry. They built, set up towns, struggled for survival, the next generation dreaming of getting out of there, of what could be.

A lot of this information is conveyed to us by a voice-over, the adult voice of the little girl, Phoebe (Darby Camp) recalling these events 20 years later. And, she says, she is perpetuating the story, the legend of her older stepbrother, Eugene.

At the time of the action, Eugene is a young adult, at home with his mother and sister and his stepfather, who works with the local police. Eugene has a friend Joe, who looks Native American, but who is soon to move away from the Dakotas for a better life in California. Eugene really has nothing much to look forward to – but has this long desire to find the father who walked out on them when he was little, failed in his work, a drinker, gone to Mexico where he has discovered religion, sending one postcard to Eugene and not heard of again.

But, that is not this story. This is a story about bank robbers in 1935, the era of that Americans will remember and moviegoers will know as the era of Bonnie and Clyde. In fact, this story becomes a variation on Bonnie and Clyde.

This time the Bonnie character is called Alison. And she is played by Margot Robbie. Her reputation has gone before her, robbing banks, shootouts, innocent bystanders killed including a little girl. She is on the run, a $10,000 bounty on her head, something which activates Eugene’s father as well as the local authorities. They are searching for Alison.

In fact, Alison has taken refuge in the outback barn on Eugene’s family property. Alison has a plausible explanation of what has happened to her, she can sweet talk Eugene. She is wounded. He is able to remove the bullet from her leg, bandage her, keep quiet about her presence, bring her food, take her for a swim in the local dam. He has never met anyone like Alison before. No surprise that he becomes infatuated. Eugene is prepared to do anything for Alison – and he does.

As we expect, Alison and Eugene will go on the run, pursued by his father, Phoebe sneaking away in the car.

But, key to the characters of Alison and Eugene, there is quite a telling sequence where the couple stay the night in a hotel, Alison going into the shower, the camera not filming her but focusing on Eugene outside the shower as she challenges him, telling him that he has to make personal decisions, take responsibility, whether he will go into the shower or not. The sequence is quite reticent but effective.

While there have been flashbacks to the original bank robbery that Alison was involved in, the revelation that she had partner, a franker showing of the truth, there is a visual reminder at the end of what the bank robberies were really like, whatever the intentions of the robbers.

In many ways, this is a modest film, a small focus on the Depression and ordinary people who became outlaws.

(Interesting that two of the central roles are played by Australians, Margot Robbie and Travis Fimmell)

1. The title? The reality of the Dakotas in the 1930s? Drought, tornadoes? Possibilities for leaving? Mexico is a destination?

2. The settlers in the Dakotas, the barren land, building, homes, pool crops, barns? The town, shops, the town hall, police precincts? The road south and the better countryside? The musical score?

3. 1935, the Depression and its aftermath? Harsh conditions? The situation with the banks, the outlaws and the robberies? The police? Hold-ups and deaths?

4. Phoebe and the voice-over, 20 years later, her memories of her brother, telling the story, her own interpretation, perpetuating a legend? Seeing her in action, her age, in the house, with her parents, with Eugene, the tangles, her devotion, suspicions about Alison in the barn, her wanting to join in the search, in the car, running to Eugene, saving him?

5. The parents, the mother, harsh life, her husband, his drinking, his eventually leaving, getting religion, Mexico, sending the cards, Eugene receiving one, Mexico as his ideal, wanting to see his father? His mother’s explanation about his death, sending the cards, not replying, the religion and madness, her presuming he died?

6. Eugene, his life, friendship with Joe, working together? Later presuming that he could ask Joe for his family car? Joe and his family moving away to California?

7. The story about Alison, the bank robbery, the murders, the escape? The possibility of $10,000 bounty? George and his wanting to search, getting everybody together? Eugene and Joe ready to search?

8. Eugene discovering Alison in the barn, the bullet wound, her story, denying the murders, the sweet talk, Eugene’s response, infatuated then falling in love, getting the bullet out, bandaging her, getting her food, his mother’s dress, going for the swim in the dam? Her offering him money? To get a car? To take her to Mexico? His believing her? Coming to visit, talking, believing her story, the swim?

9. The family going to the dance, his getting his father’s key, going to the archives, getting the documents and the watch, his being caught, his excuse? George’s later anger with him? His reading the evidence, the flashbacks, Alison and her partner, the shootings, the little girl’s death? Eugene burning the documents?

10. Phoebe, her curiosity, Eugene and the story of the dead dogs, her suspecting the truth?

11. George, his anger with Eugene, sending him to his room? His mother and her concern?

12. Eugene taking the family truck, taking Alison, their driving away, their hopes, their staying the night at the hotel? The significance of the long take with Alison in the shower, not seen, Eugene outside, her talking, his infatuation, his love, his having to make a choice, his going into the shower?

13. The pursuit, Phoebe hiding in the car, the mother concerned about saving Eugene?

14. The decision to rob the bank, Eugene participating, Alison handling it, the country people, no insurance, the teller and her hesitation, getting out the money, one of the men attempting to shoot, Eugene shooting him? His shock? The escape? Stopping the car, his being sick, throwing the gun away?

15. Alison pursuing him, the final talk, her offering to surrender herself to save him? His moral dilemma? His father arriving, the rifle, the others, Phoebe?

16. Eugene with the gun, firing in the air, his being wounded? George urging the others to put down a gun, Phoebe running after him, Eugene getting to the car? Driving away?

17. Alison, shot, the overhead shot of her lying dead? Phoebe and her comments?

18. Eugene, his disappearance, never seen again?