DIRT MUSIC – Review by Lana Wilson-Combs
Garrett Hedlund is a fine actor who has starred in some good movies like John Singleton’s Four Brothers, Unbroken from Angelina Jolie and even director Dee Rees’ critically acclaimed 2017 drama, Mudbound.
Hedlund’s latest movie Dirt Music is another one to add to the list.
Dirt Music is a romantic drama adapted from Tim Winton’s 2002 novel and is directed by Gregor Jordan. The movie is set in Australia and is a bittersweet love story about a lonely woman named Georgie Jutland (Kelly Macdonald, TV’s Line of Duty). Georgie used to be a nurse and a few things got in the way of her aspirations. Now, she’s in a loveless relationship with Jim Buckridge (David Wenham, TV’s The Letter from the King), a boring crayfish baron who lives in the backwater fishing port of White Point. Jim has two sons and Georgie knows she can never replace their deceased mother.
Georgie doesn’t try to hide that blank how-did-I-get-here-look on her face. She’s waiting for a better opportunity, or maybe just any opportunity to feel alive again.
She finds happiness in the arms of a tall, handsome, and weary stranger named Lu Fox (Hedlund). The former dirt musician makes his living as a poacher and has blown into town which already spells trouble for Lu since Jim has the local fishing trade on lock.
Still, Georgia is smitten by Lu and soon they are in too deep. However, forces come in to play involving Lu’s checkered past with Jim and the old Buckridge family that may reveal some haunting secrets about all of them.
Dirt Music grows on you. It’s a quiet and contemplative movie about unrequited love, loss, desire, family and letting go.
