Read Positive User Reviews for The Nightingale (2019)

7

JLuis_001Oct 30, 2019

This is the kind of film I hate to say is not for everyone but it really is, because this is a dark, gloomy, violent and quite rough film.

This is not the kind of film you see to feel good and you can argue that maybe it's not a kind of filmThis is the kind of film I hate to say is not for everyone but it really is, because this is a dark, gloomy, violent and quite rough film.

This is not the kind of film you see to feel good and you can argue that maybe it's not a kind of film you would seek to enjoy as an experience but in this beautiful art there's everything and obviously you have to know in advance what kind of film you are about to see .

The Nightingale is that kind of drama that predicts revenge, calamities and ruin but at the same time gives a story of tolerance between two very different characters among their disgrace and suffering.

It deserves your attention if you're looking for a dark and challenging cinema.
I admit that its rhythm, length and plot can get a bit overwhelming but this is a film that rewards the viewer, but only rewards if you know what you're looking for.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

10

johnfiteApr 19, 2020

A wonderful movie with truly important themes but a very difficult amount of graphic violence to go through. The violence is embedded in the story and rightly focused on the impact on the victims. It is never gratuitous but necessary toA wonderful movie with truly important themes but a very difficult amount of graphic violence to go through. The violence is embedded in the story and rightly focused on the impact on the victims. It is never gratuitous but necessary to explain the story. Some may have difficulty going through it but the story is worth it if you persevere and such an important message about the power of truth and the moral dilemmas that evil creates. The mixture of Irish and Aboriginal oppression together with the lovely landscape of Tasmania created a magical feel and images as well as ideas that will not leave anytime soon. Highly recommended!… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

7

HermesRatatoskrJan 8, 2020

A beautifully photographed and acted film which will have little resonance outside Australia but which is very powerful here.
The violence is shocking but not at all as extreme as some are claiming - and neither is it gratuitous.
UltimatelyA beautifully photographed and acted film which will have little resonance outside Australia but which is very powerful here.
The violence is shocking but not at all as extreme as some are claiming - and neither is it gratuitous.
Ultimately the film fails to find a resolution (a climactic scene of confrontation falls flat) but that may well be why it strikes me as such an honest piece of work: it reflects the tragedy of my country.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

7

GreatMartinAug 30, 2019

"The Nightingale" is one of the most violent films I can ever recall seeing in 75 years of movie going, filled with rapes, murders by guns, knives, spears and hangings. It is not 'fun' violence like you would see in "Angel Has Fallen" but"The Nightingale" is one of the most violent films I can ever recall seeing in 75 years of movie going, filled with rapes, murders by guns, knives, spears and hangings. It is not 'fun' violence like you would see in "Angel Has Fallen" but realistic violence as certainly took place in Australia and its southern state Tasmania in the 1800s. It is an epic film taking a little over 2 hours and 15 minutes and intriguing but it doesn't grab you emotionally though the basis of the story is certainly emotional.

This is a shocking film about man's inhumanity towards women and towards each other, particularly between aboriginal Australians and the British colonists with the latter wiping out complete tribes of the former. There is a particularly harrowing scene between an aboriginal mother who is with her child and accosted by a couple of British soldiers.

The focus of the movie is the performance of a wronged Irish woman convict, Clare, played by Aisling Franciosi, a young aboriginal tracker, Billy, played by Baykali Ganambarr, and one of the most horrendous, despicable villains to ever appear in a movie, Lieutenant Hawkins, played by Sam Caflin. All 3 give powerful performances but the director/screenwriter Jennifer Kent goes astray with the story in the middle part while her directing and, the director of photography, Radek Ladczuk takes us into the Tasmanian wilderness locations adding a large dimension to the film.

Damon Herriman as a crude, rude corporal, a young soldier played by Harry Greenwood, who is horrified at what he is seeing other people doing is, in many cases, filling in for the audience seeing the film, along with Magnolia Maymuru as the aforementioned aboriginal mother and Michael Sheasby as Clare's husband are all standouts along with the supporting players in the smaller roles.

Many of the scenes between Franciosi and Ganambarr offer some laughs as two people who are so different but have one thing, a very important thing, that binds them. It is here that the Kent, as the screen writer, goes astray regarding these two characters in the middle of the film.

"The Nightingale" is an epic, intriguing movie but I do not suggest it if you are unable to handle a lot of relentless, graphic violence which cuts into the emotional feelings so needed in a film like this.… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

All this user's reviews

8

Bertaut1Dec 14, 2019

A superb, albeit harrowing drama about colonial violence, misogyny, and racism

Written and directed by Jennifer Kent, on the surface, The Nightingale is a genre picture - a rape/revenge drama set in a pseudo-western milieu. However, as itA superb, albeit harrowing drama about colonial violence, misogyny, and racism

Written and directed by Jennifer Kent, on the surface, The Nightingale is a genre picture - a rape/revenge drama set in a pseudo-western milieu. However, as it progresses, it gradually reveals itself as less concerned with hitting genre beats than engaging with issues such as racism, misogyny, the fine line between barbarism and civilisation, and the cathartic potential of violent revenge. Brutally violent (but never gratuitously so), it's not going to pack them in at the multiplex, but this is an important, relevant, and mature study of mans' innate capacity for cruelty.

Van Diemen's Land, 1825. A British penal colony, the island is in the midst of the Black War, with the British army attempting to eradicate the indigenous Palawa population. In an isolated colony, Irish convict Clare Carroll (a star-making turn from Aisling Franciosi) is raped, and her husband, Aidan (Michael Sheasby) and infant child are brutalised by the garrison commander Lt. Hawkins (an odious Sam Claflin) and two of his men. The following day, the trio head out on foot through the treacherous bush, and Clare sets off in pursuit, hiring "Billy" Mangana (an exceptional debut from dancer Baykali Ganambarr), a Palawa tracker who hates whites as much as Clare hates Hawkins.

Having spent over five years researching the frontier wars, Kent made The Nightingale in collaboration with Palawa elders, with the story of Clare and Billy serving as Australia-specific synecdoche for the general oppression and violence of British colonialism. Both Clare and Billy have been deeply wronged by colonialists – her as a convict and woman, him as a Palawa. However, one of Kent's masterstrokes is that neither sees their similarity to the other. When Clare is first told she'll need a Palawa tracker, she responds, "I'm not travelling with a black. I'll end up in someone's pot of dinner". And in literally the next scene, when Clare tries to hire Billy, his response is, "I'm not working for a bloody white woman." It doesn't matter to him that Clare is in Van Diemen's Land against her will – she's part of the white race that has murdered his people and taken his land. At the same time, her view is based on the crudest of colonial stereotypes – that all Aborigines are cannibalistic savages. Indeed, she exerts her authority over him in a not entirely dissimilar manner to how Hawkins exerts his authority over her. Kent uses them to examine her primary theme of whether revenge can lead to peace of mind. Does revenge provide satisfaction, even though it's ultimately futile, or is it a necessary and important part of healing? Most troublingly of all, however, she asks, are there acts which are so abhorrent, inhuman, and evil that revenge is the only possible response. And if so, how does one reconcile the futility of revenge with its necessity?

From an aesthetic point of view, The Nightingale looks exceptional. Kent and cinematographer Radek Ladczuk shot the film in Academy ratio (1.37:1), with the claustrophobic nearly square frame trapping the characters within it. Especially important here are the BCUs of faces, which are the film's roadmap insofar as the violence is never abstract; violence happens to a person, not a depersonalised body, and it has real consequences.

Speaking of which, much has been made of that violence. Audience members walked out during the rape scene at both screenings at the Sydney Film Festival, and North American distributors IFC included a trigger warning. Personally, although I found the scenes disturbing, I didn't think they were as bad as has been made out. In any case, the violence (whether sexual or otherwise) is never gratuitous or immature – Kent is no Quentin Tarantino; violence in her work has stomach-churning consequences, and there is always a point in showing, it's never arbitrary or violence-for-violence's-sake, or titillation's-sake.

In terms of problems, as the Sydney screenings attest, the brutality will be too much for some. This is a dark, brutal, and unrelenting film and it asks a lot of the audience. Additionally, at 136 minutes, I found it just a tad too long, and it does lapse into repetition from time to time – if the middle act had been tightened up a bit, cutting maybe 10 or 15 minutes, it would have played better. The dénouement is also somewhat rote, which is disappointing given the strength of the filmmaking leading us to that point. I wouldn't necessarily say it doesn't work, but it's the only part of the where it feels like a genre piece.

These issues aside, however, this is exceptionally strong filmmaking. With not a hint of sentimentality in its unflinching depiction of the horrors inherent in the subjugation of an entire people, The Nightingale confirms Kent as a major auteur with a distinctive voice and the courage to remain true to her subject-matter, however abhorrent such truth might be.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

All this user's reviews

9

crotchOct 26, 2019

If you like Game of Thrones (the good seasons), this is probably right up your alley. This film goes further. It could become the Exorcist of our generation.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

All this user's reviews

7

amheretojudgeOct 29, 2019

You know what baffles me the most, it is that it is thoroughly entertaining.

The Nightingale The writer and director Jennifer Kent's period drama is a gut wrenching action film done right. And it is film-sy, no matter how much it may deny.You know what baffles me the most, it is that it is thoroughly entertaining.

The Nightingale

The writer and director Jennifer Kent's period drama is a gut wrenching action film done right. And it is film-sy, no matter how much it may deny. And it is a revenge based action thriller, just polished better. I mean it is no F. Gary Gray's '90s action film and neither some Mel Gibson's buddy cop adventure. Yet, I find hints of both of those personalities present in them. If it has the balance of, say.. Gray's The Negotiator then it also has Gibson's loftiness from the Lethal Weapon franchise. The balance as in we are given glimpses of both the parties. The good and the bad. The good suffers and tries to and does win, the little wins as much as they can. And the bad celebrates without enjoying by perpetually dying and losing in front of their own eyes.

There is crude grammar in the script that it foliates in the face of horror; Kent returns back to her genre every now and then to be honest and truthful to these tragic characters and the tragedy they are a part of. And there is also one of the best friendships created and solidified in this dreadful journey. There is innocence and real persuasion on what or where they are going towards. Not just directions but the company too is what's at a loss here.

And you can see that in both those sides. The bad ones are hunting together out of fear and not compassion while the good ones have suffered too much to trust a single soul to sleep blindly and sing loudly. Reaching out to their art forms is how The Nightingale showcases their destination to salvation. The revenge, the blood, the rituals, the dance, the birds and the madness, that's all spiciness toasted for a gripping narration.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

All this user's reviews

9

Colt4569Jul 9, 2020

So good. The violence is earned, the plot is earned, if a little slow at times. This and The Babadook are forcing me to keep an eye on this lady.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

All this user's reviews

8

StevieGJDAug 17, 2019

This movie is not for everyone. There are scenes and images that will so bother some people, they will hate the movie. However, it is gripping, intense and well acted. It's pretty bleak and that also bothers some people so much, theyThis movie is not for everyone. There are scenes and images that will so bother some people, they will hate the movie. However, it is gripping, intense and well acted. It's pretty bleak and that also bothers some people so much, they can't appreciate the art. There are so many beautifully composed nature shots. At it's core it's a movie about privilege, brutality, revenge, acceptance, and friendship. But there's a great deal of unpleasantness one has to go through to take the journey.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

8

netflicAug 12, 2019

The movie takes place in Tasmania in 19th century.

This is a story about vengeance, about dark pages in history of Tasmania and Australia, unusual (at that time) relationship between an Irish convict woman and an aboriginal man who she hiredThe movie takes place in Tasmania in 19th century.

This is a story about vengeance, about dark pages in history of Tasmania and Australia, unusual (at that time) relationship between an Irish convict woman and an aboriginal man who she hired to lead the way in the jungles, and many other things.

Warning: the film is not for every one. It is honest, brutal and violent but not needlessly so.
Film’s director does not shy away from atrocities of colonization. It is not a horror movie but rather nuanced psychological drama masterfully made.

Superb acting, costumes and cinematography.
If you could stomach watching intensely uncomfortable episodes, you will be rewarded.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

7

frankrog29Aug 16, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I agree with Jonathan Romney at Screen International in that there’s a great film somewhere in The Nightingale but, unfortunately, the finished product is not great. I admire Jennifer Kent’s ambition. In order to successfully pull off an epic revenge film, you first and foremost have to have a strong screenplay, and The Nightingale’s screenplay is not strong enough. The action and dialogue could have used more imagination. If someone like the Coen Brothers had been consulted, they could have really turned the screenplay into something great. Also, at 2 hours and 16 minutes, the film is just too long. It drags majorly during the overlong middle part. The story is epic and the issues it addresses are profound but, with the weak screenplay and uninteresting action, the film never reaches great heights. Not to mention, the graphic rape and violence are quite disturbing. If a film is going to have such disturbing scenes, it had better have some strong redeeming qualities to balance out the misery of these scenes. The film takes the important issue of the oppression of poor women and natives during colonial times head-on, and the moment when the aborigine guide laments the slaying of his people and the stealing of his land is quite moving. Ultimately, however, this epic revenge story needed to be in the hands of a more capable filmmaker for it to more masterfully address the ravages of colonialism on indentured servants and native populations.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

10

katezoeJan 12, 2022

Spectacular and harrowing film on colonialism, racism and misogyny. This movie was a complete surprise!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

rmurray847Aug 10, 2023

Vengeance-based movies can provide some visceral fun. Seeing the "bad guys" get their due is such a trope that it's hard to imagine anything new being brought to the theme. Whether as gloriously over-the-top as JOHN WICK or as gory as theVengeance-based movies can provide some visceral fun. Seeing the "bad guys" get their due is such a trope that it's hard to imagine anything new being brought to the theme. Whether as gloriously over-the-top as JOHN WICK or as gory as the queasy-making REVENGE (the 2017 movie), these films usually begin with some horrific acts, followed by the surviving hero finding the inner strength to launch their quest for bloody vengeance. Then a series of satisfying killings of the now frightened bad guys, ending in some kind of redemption or resolution for the hero (who may or may not survive and may or may not realize that vengeance isn't always as sweet as hoped).

THE NIGHTINGALE is a film that carefully follows these basic outlines. And yet it also takes us to some unexpected places. Set in Tasmania in the early 1800's, when Australia was still a prison colony, run by British troops, we meet the Irish Clare (Aisling Franciosi), who, even though a prisoner, is working hard to build a new life with her husband Aidan and their baby. She hopes to receive the long-promised freedom that Lieutenant Hawkins (Sam Claflin) dangles over her head. Not surprisingly, the nasty Hawkins enjoys lording it over the defiant Clare, who must constantly quell her fiery temper and innate dislike of the British in general and Hawkins and his little gang in specific. He mistreats her, but when he rapes her, things quickly spiral out of control and it all culminates in one of the most horrific scenes you're likely to see in a vengeance movie. (And this movie is a great example of how gore is a cheap substitute for true horror, that doesn't require us to see gory details but to see the faces of the survivors and to hear the sounds of brutality.)

Hawkins and his men soon set out on a trip through the heavily forested inner island, to reach the coast and for Hawkins to claim a potential promotion to Captain. And unbeknownst to him, Clare is hot on his trail, bent on vengeance. (This is not much a spoiler; this all happens in the first 15 - 20 minutes.) Clare is led by native Billy (Baykali Ganambarr, who is terrific), and as much as the film is a vengeance movie, it is also an exploration of racism and friendship. The treatment of the native population is an under-current throughout THE NIGHTINGALE and gives the film extra resonance. Yes, Clare is on a very personal mission, but the abuses and horror she has endured is seen as just a tiny part of the desecration the country and its people endure. And in the end, the most satisfying story of this film is not the vengeance Clare embarks on but the developing relationship between her and Billy. They bond in ways unexpected, and the only glimmers of humor or light that this film has comes from their interactions. It's a gray movie, unrelenting in its grimness, yet brightened by this unlikely friendship.

Aisling Franciosi, as Clare, is really a marvel. We've certainly seen characters with hatred burning in their eyes, bent on revenge...but the fire that compels her feels very specific and believable. Lest we ever forget what she has endured, we need only look at her face. It's almost like the hatred is really all that's keeping her sane or even alive. For a film like this to work, we really need our lead to be convincing. She knocks that out of the park.

The film is not perfect. Sam Claflin's Hawkins does enough terrible things that we certainly hate him. But I found his performance to be somewhat cardboard. (And honestly, much of the work he's done fits that bill.) We don't really get a sense of what inner demons drives him to what he does, or even if he's so empty that he has no demons. And occasionally, the pacing of the film drags. It's a vengeance film, in the end, and it needs to move with some momentum. But the momentum flags at times near the end, and the climax, while surprising an admirable, isn't as pulse-pounding as it should be.

THE NIGHTINGALE is a tough film to watch, but it is well-worth viewing. Grim and gritty, but shot through with moments of grace. It's a journey worth taking and enduring.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews