Federal agent Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns to his home town of Kiewarra in Victoria to attend the funeral of his childhood friend Luke Hadler, who has allegedly killed his wife Karen and their son Billy before taking his own life. Only their infant daughter, Charlotte, was spared. Luke's parents ask Falk to stay and investigate the crime, and he reluctantly agrees. In flashbacks, it is revealed that Falk left town twenty years earlier to escape harassment when he was suspected in the death of his girlfriend Ellie. Upon his return, he finds many of the townspeople are still angry towards him, particularly Ellie's father Mal and her cousin Grant who brand him a liar and a murderer. With the help of the town's local sergeant Greg Raco, Falk begins to look into the events surrounding Luke's death. They discover that the shotgun shells used in the crime were Remingtons, while Luke only owned Winchesters. Falk also interviews Scott Whitlam, the local school principal and Karen's boss, who explains that although she and Luke had some money trouble, they did not appear to have any serious problems... Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus reads: "A slow-burning crime drama anchored by a solid central performance from Eric Bana, The Dry offers gripping thrills for genre fans." The Guardian gave a positive review, saying "The film remains rock solid throughout: taut, tough and tense, matching wide-open spaces with uncomfortably close drama." (Via Wikipedia) This Australian mystery drama thriller is based on the 2016 book of the same name by Jane Harper and it´s safe to say that the premise of the storyline might not be revolutionary, we have seen similar stories before, but as mentioned the slow-burning tension in the film in combination with a great Eric Bana keeps you firm in your seat. I like the cinematography and the intense acting and I like as well that it's such a low key film and suddenly it just explodes in the end. Great impact on you as a viewer. Trivia: "The Dry" was among the top ten highest-grossing films of 2020 in Australia with A$20.1 million. The film made AU$3.5 million during its opening weekend in Australia, making it one of the highest grossing Australian film opening weekends ever, and the best debut for an Australian-made feature at the country's box office from an independent studio. (Via Wikipedia)

an interesting film, it maintains pace and mystery. at times it recalls the first season of true detective, excellent eric bana

"The Dry" is an intense and well-crafted thriller that follows Aaron Falk, a federal agent played by Eric Bana, as he returns to his hometown to investigate a murder-suicide case hiding dark secrets. The film skillfully combines mystery and personal drama, enhanced by stunning cinematography of the arid Australian landscape. With a gripping narrative and strong performances, it stands out as one of the best recent thrillers. Rating: 4.75/5.

The Dry is dry, a drought that removed the depth of the story river - pun intended. The thing is that this movie is alright, but it had potential to be much more. The story follows FBI Agent Aaron Falk, whoever that is, who is to attend the funeral of one long lost friend, spawning a spiral of old memories, lies, and deceit. Two deaths, one from 20-plus years ago, and Falk's friend, could potentially be connected, prompting Aaron to stick around to pursuit the truth. Of course, he needs a buddy cop: meet Sgt. Greg Raco, novice in the field, but great at heart. This buddy dynamic could work, but, again, The Dry is shallow on developing arcs. The same happens with Aaron. By the end, yes, he uncovers the ultimate truth... And that is it! He does not confront it, he does not act on it, he just embraces it and moves on, which is sort of BS considering how much of his life he has lost out of it. The main arc is solid, though. The investigation that Aaron and Greg lead keeps us hooked until the ultimate revelation, which turns out OK, but uninspiring. This feeling worsens when we get to the "ultimate-ultimate" revelation, and then the lack of closure from Aaron, leaving us just with the sour taste of knowing. The Dry works for the average audience, those seeking some sort of entertainment from thrillers without real exposition to complicated plotlines. These people will get what they want to some extent, but The Dry lacks too many things to get a nice 3,5 stars - 3 when in good mood.

This movie is an Aussie police procedural with story elements that feel like familiar territory. However, I thought the acting and overall production value were well done. I enjoyed it.

Underrated movie on IMDB. It's rated about right here on RT by both critics and the audience. Eric Bana had a very convincing performance in this murder mystery movie and it is definitely recommended!

A slow realistic approach to a murder that happens in a small town in Australia that where the main character has a tragic backstory within that small town.....Not a bad film at all but its a one and done already forgot about it type of film.

A mystery wrapped in mystery. Very well-acted. Ending was very bittersweet. This was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I definitely recommend it. (Also, Bebe Bettencourt has an awesome voice...)

Little slow but a good suspense.

Great movie, brilliant acting, fantastic storyline, what do you need more!

Today I caught this on cable, and I was really impressed. It's a very slow cooking, gently emerging crime drama, connecting crimes of the past with present ones, but contrary to many other movies of this genre, one can't imagine anything of the real story. In fact, the last few minutes are the all revealing ones, shocking the viewers to the core as the story ends in an incredible twist. 👍 for a great script. Eric Bana always brings across a perfect, stoic performance, absolutely fitting to the dire, drap and "Dry" surroundings of the Australian interior and the rough personae of a tiny farming town. Though slow and often quiet, the story is worth watching. 7/10 points.

Really compelling set against an a strong background.

Now THIS is modern day story telling… excellent and deeply whodunnit caper!

Good crime mystery movie, a hidden gem that I've only just discovered. Well worth a look

The story was interesting and going along okay, except for the last few minutes. After proceeding at a very leisurely pace, toward the end everything was abruptly rushed, and it was not clear as to the motive of the person(s) who murdered the family. Critical facts and discoveries were blurted out in scant seconds---like unimportant afterthoughts. This was perhaps the result of poor editing/oversight by the director. There were also holes--such as where had Aaron actually been when he had claimed to have been hunting rabbits with his friend? Another is the question of who sent the postcard that got Aaron to return to his hometown in the first place? The audience is never told. The film could have been much better with just a small amount of extra care and consideration for the audience.

Boring. I fell asleep as it was so boring.

A really enjoyable film... Eric banner is really good and the story is a good one definitely worth a watch

Brilliant movie. Kept us both captivated the whole time. Really enjoying Australian cinema more and more.

Great story and fantastic cast. Well worth watching.

It will keep you guessing all the way to the end. Awesome Movie!