THE COST

Australia, 2022, 111 minutes, Colour.

Jordan Fraser-Trumbull, Damon Hunter, Kevin Dee, Clayton Watson, Nicole Pastor.

Directed by Matthew Holmes.

Looking at the poster for The Cost, reading the taglines to promote it, many audiences might well be put off, thinking, simply, here is another vigilante,and vengeance drama.

It is, but it is much more.

This is an Australian film but with universal themes. The early sequences take place in suburban Melbourne but the action then moves out into the Australian bush – and the photography captures the atmosphere and beauty, as well as some sinister undertones, of the Australian landscapes.

For the first 30 minutes of the film, the audience is introduced to three characters, seen in dramatic situations but no explanations offered. There is David (Jordan Fraser-Trumbull), youngish, going to the hardware store for his purchases. There is Aaron (Damon Hunter) a family man at home. And there is Troy (Kevin Dee), emerging from the factory, home alone, drinking and TV, going out to buy a sixpack..

This drama would work best with audiences knowing not much more about the plot and its developments. There is quite some tension, the background of the situation gradually emerging, brutal crime, prison, the effect of imprisonment, consequences for the relatives of the crime victim, anger (rage) and the issue of citizens taking it on their own responsibility to execute what they see as justice.

These themes have been taken up over the decades, issues of vigilante justice, especially in many American thrillers (think Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson). But, The Cost is a very different kind of film. One might call it a film of moral probing.

And for the moral probing, it will depend on the attitudes and presuppositions of each member of the audience and whether they will identify readily with the vigilante theme or will find it, even though it is psychologically understandable, repellent. Writer-director, Matthew Holmes, has been quoted as saying he was intrigued by the situations of legal justice and vigilante justice and, with his co-writer, Gregory Moss, they created a drama of “what if…?”.

And, the dialogue provides opportunities for the audience to feel emotionally, to feel disgusted, to wonder about imposing justice with violence and actually lowering oneself to the level of the criminal. And, even with planning, is it possible to go through with actual vindictive vengeance? (It is interesting to note that Matthew Holmes previous film was The Legend of Ben Hall, intriguing in itself, the portrait of a bushranger in the 19^th century Australian context of justice and injustice, exploring the bushranger mind and ethos amid beautifully filmed Australian landscapes.)

The film uses ordinary situations to create tension, stopping at a service station at night and a friendly truck driver, the police pulling the drivers up at night because of a faulty taillight and, more dramatically, a local farmer turning up interrupting the dramatic confrontations without realising it but eventually drawn into it as an innocent bystander, audiences than identifying with him, conscience and fear.

This is a very well written and directed film and excellent performances that make the behaviour of each character credible. Some audiences may dismiss it or just take it as another vengeance movie. For those who are willing to spend some time with it, even though it is tough going, it is a telling exploration of moral behaviour.

1. Title? As it refers to each of the central characters? The crime, responsibility, punishment, vengeance?
2. An Australian drama, universal themes? Filmed in Victoria, the suburbs and the streets, homes and interiors, on the road, service station, the countryside, the hopes? The authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The first 30 minutes establishing the characters: the glimpse of the dead girl, the focus on David, leaving home, the encounter with his friend, going to the hardware store, the collection, the friendly cashier? Aaron, at home, interactions with his wife, with his son, the loving wife, the son being petulant, his getting his gear, the rifle? The introduction to Troy, coming out of work, the workers, going home, the cat, living alone, watching TV, drinking, going to the shop, friendly? The audience wondering, suspicious?
4. David and Aaron, the car, the masks, going into the house, darkness, confronting Troy, the torches, tying him up, the hood, bundling him away after the injection, in the boot? Driving away, at the service station, David and buying the drinks, Aaron filling the car, the pump, Troy making noise, Aaron hitting the car roof, the friendly driver and his bringing the coffee? They are stopping and giving Troy another injection?
5. Pulled up by the police, audience tension, on their side or not, still wondering about the situation and responsibilities? Getting the light fixed, David opening the boot of the car, seeing the problem, their being warned, going off, arriving at the property, unlocking the gate, driving?
6. The night passing, Aaron en garde, David sleeping, Troy on the ground?
7. The day, the confrontation, the audience understanding what had happened, Troy, years earlier, the attack on David’s wife, in the suburbs, the street, abducting her, tying her up, the rape, killing her? David in the flashback to the phone call from his wife? And his later regret that they had quarrelled and he had not time to apologise, yet her love on the phone call?
8. The confrontation, the kind of kangaroo court, private vigilante approach, judgement already made, punishment decided? Both Aaron and David involved, their plan? Whipping Troy? Telling him not to plead? The attack, on his face, the blood?
9. Audience attitude towards Troy, young, irresponsible, predator, brutal? Pleading guilty, 10 years in jail, his comment about being raped, the guards ignoring this? Behaviour in jail, early release? Having served his time? His life alone, his conscience?
10. David and his wife, Aaron and his sister, their anger, the trial, anger at Troy’s early release? The plan, preparing everything, the rifle, the location? Audience judgement on them, empathising with their anger, questioning what they were doing, going to Troy’s brutal level?
11. The dialogue in the film, the writer-director and his creating a what if situation? Both sides of the issue, Aaron as implacable, David and the difficulty of actually facing Troy, whipping him, verbal abuse, yet realising that they were going to Troy’s level? The exploration of David’s attitudes, anger, vulnerability, but doubts about killing Troy?
12. The arrival of Brian, genial, explanations, their helping him with repairs, sitting by the fire and drinking? The discussion about fishing?
13. Leaving Troy, his getting loose, moving through the bush, the tracking him down?
14. Brian, going to be shed, Troy moving through the bush, on his feet, the two searching for him, driving in the opposite direction, turning round, Troy and his going through the property, going to the shed, Brian?
15. David and Aaron and the pursuit, David and the encounter with Troy, the rifle, turning the tables, Troy with the rock, not killing David? The effect on David, not able to kill Troy, yet wanting to protect the two of them, the consequences of their actions, desperation? In the background digging the grave?
16. Brian, his fears, trying to persuade Aaron not to shoot Troy? The tension, the innocent bystander, caught up? The horror of Aaron actually shooting Troy? Brian, fears, escape, his being pursued through the fields?
17. Troy’s body, the grave, all the equipment, set on fire? They going home?
18. The film ending, the audience and the moral probings of the issues, conscience, crime and punishment, atonement, vengeance, violence? And the audience speculating as to what would happen, personally, legally, consequences?