The Water Diviner
Starring Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko
Directed by Russell Crowe
He’s worked with numerous filmmakers for over 25 years; now Russell Crowe steps behind the camera for the first time in his feature film directorial debut, The Water Diviner. The family war drama, obviously personal given his roots, follows an Australian farmer who travels to Turkey to try and locate his three missing sons following the historic Battle of Gallipoli.
Crowe, as usual, strikes a formidable and commanding presence as a lead actor but stumbles occasionally as a director. The film, though managing to strike poignant chords throughout, suffers from awkward tonal shifts as the narrative coarsely jumps from the budding romance between Crowe and a Turkish innkeeper (Kurylenko) to horrific scenes of battle on the frontlines as soldiers lay wailing in utter agony.
Mechanically speaking, The Water Diviner offers plenty of gorgeous backdrops; the crew gained unprecedented access to Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque and there is plenty of jaw-dropping cinematography. However, problems arise as the screenplay from Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight takes a rather simplistic approach to the culturally complicated conflicts of the region during that era. The plot becomes more muddled towards the end as its unclear whether the story is about family reunion or finding new love.
Issues aside, the movie is an earnest looks at a fascinating chapter in history and does, in part, manage to capture a sweeping feel, reminiscent of the epics the director himself grew up watching. It’s not a homerun but The Water Diviner is a valiant effort from an industry veteran.
