Square, The (2008) [Blu-ray]
Drama | Thriller

A stylish, twist-filled film noir, The Square centers on an adulterous couple whose scheming leads to arson, blackmail and murder. Escaping the monotony of a loveless marriage, Raymond Yale becomes entangled in an affair with the beautiful and troubled Carla. Ray's moral limits are tested when Carla presents him with the proceeds of her controlling husband's latest crime. This is their chance: Take the money and run...If only it were that simple. The seed is planted and Ray, fearing he will lose his love, engineers the plan. Hiring the professional arsonist Billy becomes a fatal error, and the plan goes horribly wrong. Alarm bells sound and suspicions are raised but, miraculously, the dust looks to settle. After all... Nobody knows. Then the first blackmail note arrives.

User Comment: chariot6 from Australia, 6 July 2008 • Written by Joel Edgerton and Matthew Dabner, directed by Nash Edgerton and produced by Louise Smith, The Square eloquently shows that Australian films can embrace genre in an exciting, audience-aware way. This is thrilling film-making at its best.

The plot revolves around a middle aged man, Ray, (David Roberts) who makes a fatal mistake when he gets involved with younger woman, Carla, (Claire van der Boom). His attempts to make it right just land him deeper and deeper into the kind of trouble he'll never be able to resolve. This searing examination of middle-aged angst and displaced desire keeps the surprises coming and the twists turning.

In a series of colourful and dynamic performances, the supporting cast including Joel Edgerton as a pyromaniac crim-for-hire, Tony Hayes as the spurned husband with a dark secret of his own and Kieran Darcy-Smith as a nasty concrete guy only add to the strength of the world.

Beautifully shot, fantastic production design and razor sharp editing. Also of note is the soundtrack - perfectly tuned to mood - this one doesn't miss a beat.

This was my highlight of the Sydney Film Festival - audiences should flock to this one.

They won't be disappointed.

Summary: gripping, stylish thriller.

User Comment: richard-mason from Sydney, Australia, 18 June 2008 • As one of those who saw the premiere of this film at the Sydney Film Festival, I can assure you if I was on the "edgerton" of my seat, it was in disbelief as implausibility piled upon implausibility until the film collapsed under their weight.

The film started well, and for a while I was happy to go along with the well-worn Noir formula of the small crime that goes wrong, and all attempts to cover it up only make things worse for the illicit lovers, and the crimes get bigger and bigger. But they also get stupider and stupider, until you just feel your intelligence is being insulted. If, as bilingizard seems to be suggesting, black humour of the order of the Coen Brothers was being attempted, then I suggest some wit (other than that involving the fate of the dogs) should have been attempted. Nor do I think David Roberts was an acceptable lead. The character was dour and unpleasant from the beginning (making it hard to care what happened to him and his paramour) and the performance added no light or shade or leavenings of humanity.

I agree it looks good, and the direction is stylish. But the plot is not just full of holes, but sinkholes that suddenly open up under the feet of the characters, and the audience.

Summary: Coen Brothers Safe.

[CSW] -2- I agree with the second user comments: The film started well but then get stupider and stupider. The characters are unpleasant making it hard to care what happens to them and with implausibility piled upon implausibility the film finally collapsed under their weight. I did get a laugh from the unexpected demise of the swimming dog, however.

º º