NITRAM

Australia, 2021, 112 minutes, Colour.

Caleb Landry Jones, Judy Davis, Anthony la Paglia, Essie Davis, Phoebe Taylor, Sean Keenan.

Directed by Justin Kurzel.

The Port Arthur massacre of 1996.

There have been a number of films about massacres, Michael Moore’s documentary, Bowling for Columbine, Gus van Sant’s fictionalising of this in Elephant, the two films about the Norwegian massacres of 2011, one from Norway, one from the US.

The decision was made for the Norwegian not to state the name of the killer, not to give him any kind of public acknowledgement (as was done with the Christchurch mosque killings). While Nitrim was in production, there were a number of protests that this film should not be made (the same happening for a projected film about Christchurch). Should such a film be made? Sensitivities to the victims and their relatives? The danger of sensationalising?

Once the film was made, screened in competition at Cannes 2021, with actor Caleb Landry Jones winning the Best Actor award, and audiences seeing the film, Nitram was generally praised. And, while Nitram is Martin spelt backwards, there was no specific naming of the Port Arthur perpetrator.

Rather, this is a cinematic exploration of a character, trying to dramatise motivations, giving a context for the events and the consequences. This is how the film is trying to challenge the audience. It is not an entertainment. It is a drama, a sad drama about a loner, a tragic drama for the consequences. This is Tasmania, the 1990s, a sense of place, the context in society, community and family for Nitram and his perspectives on life.

Which means that the screenplay observes his behaviour, listening to what he says, observing what he does, placing great emphasis on his appearance, his body language and interactions, his idiosyncrasies, and via this portrayal to enter into a disturbed mind, the mind of a loner and, as a number of people eventually say, a weirdo. And the continual question for the audience: how are we responding?

Caleb Landry Jones is originally from Texas but somehow he is able to insert himself into Tasmania. He is young, has not been is particularly successful at school, does not relate so well with his peers (attracted to a girl later claiming her as a girlfriend, attached to a surfer trying to insinuate himself as a friend) is a loner, in his room at home, out on jobs working on lawns, not a relational person. There are many important sequences at home, with his cold, dominating yet loving, demanding mother, concerned about his personality, his health, his medication. Judy Davis is, as usual, excellent in the role. By contrast, his father seems to be a weak man, loving his son, not intervening, acceding to his wife’s opinions, ultimately sick, suicidal. A different role for Anthony la Paglia.

The father has a dream of buying a property, going to visit it with his son, implanting this kind of vision in Nitram’s mind – which, when he goes to claim the property, will have devastating consequences, introducing him to killing.

The other influence in his life is a retired Opera singer (and there is frequent Gilbert and Sullivan music as background, especially from The Mikado). She is Helen. Living alone in a mansion. Wealthy, initially intrigued by Nitram and giving him a job, bonding with him, going shopping together, he flattering her, warming to her, she giving him an expensive car, giving him dreams of travel and luxury. And, with her untimely death, her money going to Nitram enabling him to do what he likes, even to extensive sequences where he buys and stores weapons. Helen is very well played by Essie Davis (the director’s wife).

There are some glimpses of mass shootings on television. However, while Nitram does go to Port Arthur with his weapons, sits and enjoys a quiet afternoon tea as he watches the tourists, families, children, all enjoying themselves, the shootings at Port Arthur are never explicitly shown.

The Port Arthur massacre was a significant episode in Australian history, making Australians aware of the potential for violence, the role of guns and the need for reform of gun law, the role of tragedy in Australian history.

The film was written by Shaun Grant, The Snowtown Murders, The True History of the Kelly Gang (and, pleasantly contrast, Penguin Bloom) for director Justin Kurtzel, who lives in Tasmania. His film career has focused on these themes, Snowtown, a version of Macbeth, graphic novel, Assassins’ Creed, The True History of the Kelly Gang and now Nitram

1. The title? Martin spelt backwards? No explicit reference to the shooting at Port Arthur?
2. The writer and the director, their credentials, Snowtown, The Kelly Gang?
3. Filming in Tasmania, authentic atmosphere, homes, the countryside, the ocean and beaches, the city, tourists at Port Arthur? The musical score and atmosphere?
4. Audience knowledge of what happened at Port Arthur? 1996? The film a quarter of a century later? Tasmanian memories, difficulties with resurrecting the memories, objections to filming such a story?
5. The significance of the massacre in Australian history? Shock? Weapons and gardens? The intervention of the government, the changing gun laws? (And the final comment about contemporary gun laws?)
6. Caleb Landry Jones as Nitram, an American, his accent? Best acting awards?
7. The challenge of portraying Nitram? His life, motivations, interactions, events, consequences?
8. The film as an attempt to dramatise the mind of the perpetrator, situate him in his place and time, in his context, his family, Tasmanian society?
9. The film is observing Nitram, his behaviour, his body language, articulate and inarticulate, interactions, idiosyncratic – and the screenplay higher these observances, entering into his disturbed mind? Loner? Considered a weirdo? Audience response to this weird character?
10. His age, the 1990s, his appearance, hair, clothes, interests, odd jobs, garden work, interested in skiing, the surfboard? Memories at school and his being taunted?
11. His family, his father, pleasant, soft, ill? The contrast with his mother, hard, loving her son, demanding, holding in her emotions? Unable to cry? The final image of her at the end of the film?
12. His going to work for Helen, Helen’s character, her career, singing, the use of Gilbert and Sullivan music and song? Her eccentricity, her age, her house, her response to Nitram, his continuing to visit, her taking him shopping, spoiling him, fostering his hopes, the possibility of international travel? The gift of the car?
13. The car, his mother’s reaction, the reckless driving, moving to stay with Helen, driving her, clowning, the crash and her death?
14. Helen leaving him the money and the house, the effect on him, freeing him from his family? The scenes of the weapons shops, collecting, the explanations?
15. His father taking him to the house, the dream of owning it? His later returning, the elderly couple, threatening them – killing them? And the impact of killing on him?
16. His fantasy world, meeting Riley, talking, her boyfriend? And then quoting her as a girlfriend? The surfing friends, going to the beach? Attempts at friendship? Compensation?
17. The final day, the film not showing him doing the shootings (but incorporating a massacre seen on television which he watched and we watch)? Sitting in the cafe, quietly having the afternoon tea, watching people? The pathos for the audience of ordinary people, tourists, families and children?
18. Getting his gun, going out, the massacre?
19. The effect of watching this character, trying to understand, seeing his actions? The disturbing film?