Goldstone (2018)

This one's a winner.All the way. The story,set up,editing,locations and particularly the characters are all spot-on and the result is a great example of the Australian Western genre. Pederson is brilliant as the hero and so are the rest of the cast and characters. This is set up as a second part or sequel to the director's earlier venture of a similar vein called 'Mystery Road'. You don't need to have seen that to view this first although two of the major plots of the first movie is given away in this one and might spoil your viewing of 'Mystery Road'. This is a far superior,pacier and sumptious sequel and should be classed as one of the year's best. If you liked Hell or High Water,Three Billboards... and similar ones this will be one to cherish.

Jay a besotted aborigine federal officer goes looking for a missing girl in Australia. people are getting rich mining indigenous land for gold. everyone turns a blind eye with the expectation of big bucks. we are in the middle of no where, but it sure is beautiful. desolate, lonely and breathtaking. nothing is ever really explained and you have to figure things out on your own. the two stars are great and unknown to me. and the bad guys don't have to wear black hats. they carry guns. worth a look see.

(No plot spoilers)When I ask somebody" what's your dream holiday ?" 9 out of 10 answer: "Australia". The other "1" instead has already been there: Ayers Rock, Sidney Opera House, the souvenir boomerang and the photo with a Koala bear. That's the Australia we know about. But what about the Australia we don't want to know about? Once I was chatting with an Australian guy, Bondi beach surfer type with a bleached grin. When I asked him about the Aboriginal people he scorned "...they're just a bunch of drunks". I didn't like what I heard. This long preamble is to say that "Goldstone" is about the Australia we don't want to know about. An Australia made of endless rocky deserts and of aborigines copying with drug abuse and high suicide rates while the "whites" exploit the hidden ores of the underground.Also women are exploited in this story which starts with federal cop Jay Swan arriving in the mining town to track a missing Chinese girl , his presence and methods are not welcomed by the local authorities and by the mining company that finances everything.The word "town" is repeated several times in the movie but there is no town as we imagine it, just cargoes, cargoes scattered on a barren lunar landscape. Inside these cargoes we find are offices, neon lit brothels, a morgue and even a perfect suburban kitchen where the mayor bakes cakes like in a Doris Day comedy. Director and cinematographer Ivan Sen seems to have had fun with this juxtaposition between interior and external scenes, and the main character Jay Swan who has indigenous origins is usually seen to stand on the threshold of these two worlds."Goldstone" is a solid thriller with all the elements of the classic western: the lone stranger new in town, the wise old native man, the sympathetic prostitute, the villain and its henchmen and there are some effective shootouts. The film has its weaknesses too: characters are sometimes predictable and dialogues a bit clichéd and unrealistic while the plot could have benefited from being a little more straightforward."Goldstone" has certainly dropped Australia down the list of places Im looking forward to visiting but on the other hand I'm now looking forward to watching its prequel "Mystery Road" (2013).

Again and again, Australia proves it has an exceptional talent, for crafting quality cinema.Goldstone is yet another real Aussie gem of a film. Its a story that has depth and beauty, juxtaposed by self effacing, unapologetic, honesty. A reflection, in many ways, of the stark Australian outback, in which it is set. There's a good detective drama on offer here too, backed by a really soulful, back story. A story that, in a straightforward but touching way, draws the viewers attention to the sad reality of life, for minorities and those marginalized by society. Aaron Pedersen has much to be proud of in the lead role as police officer Jay Swan. Like the film itself, his performance is understated, yet, at times, almost inexplicably moving. The other cast members distinguish themselves too, including Alex Russell, who plays Swan's local police counterpart, Josh. In short Goldstone is remarkably well written, directed and acted. True Aussie cinematic gold. Nine out of ten from me.