Australian director Justin Kurzel caused some waves with his debut feature, Snowtown. The film was inspired by the country’s most notorious serial killings and with it Kurzel came bursting out of the blocks and quickly found himself working on higher profile movies. Snowtown was followed by a Michael Fassbender double-bill of Macbeth and Assassin’s Creed, before Kurzel’s attention turned back to his homeland for True History of the Kelly Gang. For his newest film, Nitram, Kurzel remains in Australia, but taps back into the magic of Snowtown as he turns his attention once more to a traumatic touchstone in the country’s history.
Written by Shaun Grant (who also previously wrote Snowtown), Nitram presents the complicated story of one young man, the eponymous Nitram (Caleb Landry Jones) who lives with his worn-out mother (Judy Davis) and apologist father (Anthony LaPaglia). Ridiculed by his peers, and ignored by everyone else, Nitram is adrift in the world; an awkward creature, prone to sudden outbursts of antisocial behaviour and aggression. He’s not an easy person to explore a story with, but nothing about Kurzel’s newest creation is meant to put the audience at ease. Based on a real-life tragedy, Nitram is a challenging film for both those aware and unaware of the true events.
Filmed during the pandemic, Nitram is one of several projects that benefits from the lockdown filming conditions. The barren nature of the environment and locations that Nitram interacts with are perfect reflections of his own emptiness and isolation. A simple cleared shooting area would have conveyed a similar message, though the knowledge that the film was made in isolation feeds into the fibres of the film and makes it feel alive in a way that it couldn’t otherwise. The air within Nitram is thick, suffocating, and heavy with the tense electricity of things to come. It’s a choking atmosphere, one enveloping the viewer and making them the unwilling co-pilot in Nitram’s life. If the visuals echo Nitram’s standing in society, the sound design mirrors his mood swings. James Ashton’s design work shifts from quiet twittering of birds to loud, almost assaulting, levels of gunshots and explosions. They rip through the silence, punctuate the peace, and jolt your nerves.
Kurzel is clearly an actor’s director. No matter the film, he always manages to get nothing short of perfection from his cast, and Nitram is no exception. From Essie Davis as rich eccentric Helen who finds a kindred spirit in Nitram, to Judy Davis’ stern and exasperated mother, and Anthony LaPaglia’s pushover father, the supporting cast shine. Each of the trio have amazing back catalogues, with Nitram another jewel in their respective crowns.
It is of course the central performance by Caleb Landry Jones to which Nitram belongs. The character is a murky and confusing one; rather than come down entirely onto the side that Nitram is pure evil, Landry Jones is more nuanced with his performance. There’s never quite sympathy for the devil created, but the actor is keen to show Nitram through veils of grey over black and white. His performance is quiet and considered, mixed with an energy of chaos that keeps the viewer on edge, never knowing what he’s going to do next. From his opening moments setting off firecrackers, there’s a danger and threat presented by Nitram, the character the epitome of caged tiger. The moments when he does explode are horribly uncomfortable to watch. A sequence in which Nitram sits with a fruit cup is somehow full of menace; never has someone eating fruit been so terrifying. Nitram will not have been an easy mind to get inside, but Landry Jones has achieved a stellar performance that is worthy of all the discussions it will garner. The actor is one of the most committed, consistent, and emotive working today and his complex performance as Nitram is exemplary.
A menacing marvel that is sure to cause upset, Nitram remains a film that you can’t turn away from. As it pushes into the darkest and most bleak of situations, the viewer is held hostage to it all. Kurzel’s unflinching approach creates maximum impact. Nitram is a hard film to shake and made more sobering due to its harrowing source.
Nitram
Summary
Caleb Landry Jones’ committed and confronting performance leads Kurzel’s harrowing tale of tragedy, creating yet another noteworthy offering from the Australian director.
Nitram was reviewed at Glasgow Film Festival 2022.
