A loose remake of the 2008 French film L’empreinte de l’ange, director Kim Farrant‘s second feature relocates this twisting tale to the suburbs of Melbourne. This American-Australian coproduction is an incredibly creepy peek into a shattered life, told alongside two phenomenal performances and some wonderful local Melbourne scenery.
Lizzie (Noomi Rapace) lost her baby daughter in a fire seven years ago. It destroyed her marriage and her mental health and although she’s trying to look like she’s keeping it together, the cracks are widening. She looks like a broken glass that someone tried to put together with sticky tape. All the pieces are there but none of them connect properly, one tremor away from breaking again. Her young son is getting sick of joint custody between Lizzie and his dad (Luke Evans). When she takes him to a friend’s birthday party, hosted by Clare (Yvonne Strahovski) – in a wealthy family home in what looks like Toorak – the thin veneer of control slips away as she spots a little girl, who looks just like she did when she was younger, playing in the corner.
Co-written by David Regal and Luke Davis – a man that knows better than most what it’s like to rebuild a life that’s hit rock bottom – Angel of Mine is a supremely creepy local film that works on every level.
There’s no specific reason that it needed to be set in Australia, but the evocation of its suburban setting adds a delicious local flavour. It perfectly captures suburban Melbourne with its widening class divides and taps into the dark secrets that lurk underneath a lot of yuppy culture.
Noomi Rapace is incredible. Unrecognisable from her star making role in the original The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo ten years ago, her performance here is one of the best of her English language career. It doesn’t matter if the film she’s in is mediocre (Prometheus) or outright terrible (Passion); she’s always good in them. Supporting work from Luke Evans and Richard Roxburgh is great too.
Yvonne Strahovski doesn’t get as much nuance as Rapace gets to work with, but holds her own against a powerful performance. Her career has gone from major television shows to cinema and even a blockbuster video game trilogy. It’s always worth keeping an eye out on what Strahovski will do next because she’s a fascinating local talent that doesn’t look like slowing down.
Australian film is more willing than most to peek into the dark corners of our society. The repercussions of a child dying has to be one of the darkest. Who could ever comprehend what it would be like to lose a baby? Who would even want to? Farrant brings this story of broken women to the screen with a powerful clarity. She’s a skilled filmmaker. The clear and well structured script make sure that every character is empathetic; when the yelling starts it hits hard.
Female anger seems to be on the minds a lot of filmmakers, and Farrant has made the best of the local offerings. This is a supremely creepy film that builds towards an unforgettable finale. A top notch thriller that shouldn’t be missed.
Angel of Mine is in cinemas from 5th September through R&R Films.
