FELONY - Tuesday 9th September 2014.

It's encouraging to see some solid cinema content coming out of Australia in recent months, with 'FELONY' (which I saw at the Cremorne Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace earlier this week) adding to that canon, and following hot on the heels of 'The Rover', 'These Final Hours' and 'Predestination' - all of which have been Reviewed in this Blog in previous weeks. 'Felony' stands up there proud with these others as a strong suspenseful Sydney set Police drama that was penned, Produced and stars Joel Edgerton with Tom Wilkinson, Jai Courtney and Melissa George providing convincing support.

As the film opens we are mid-drug bust with Detective Mal Toohey (Edgerton) giving chase on foot through a suburban Sydney clothing factory. Reluctant to use his side arm he is shot at by his assailant and hits the ground while his colleagues overcome the shooter and cart him off arrested. Toohey rises to his feet - saved by his Kevlar vest, but shaken and badly bruised at the point of impact. The drug bust is successful, and six months of hard work have paid off.

That evening, having taken a bullet and successfully closed a major bust, Toohey and his Detective cohorts celebrate in a local pub through to the small hours of the morning. Upon leaving it is clear that Toohey is well under the influence of alcohol, and should not be getting behind the wheel of his car . . . but he does, and he begins the drive home, albeit cautiously, and half asleep. Being a Policeman he successfully gets through an RBT when pulled over, but in the final leg of his drive home, on a quiet stretch of road, he clips a young lad on his bike delivering the morning newspapers. As the boy lies in a crumpled heap in the middle of the road, Toohey pulls over and ponders what to do. There are no witnesses, it is dark, all quiet, and he could simply drive away as though nothing ever happened. Instead he goes to the boys aid and calls 000 for an ambulance, and we witness the uncertain, disjointed dialogue with the emergency services phone operative as questions are asked and Tooheys stumbles through his answers unsure if he should be truthful or plead ignorance, and lie.

Within minutes the ambulance arrives with the Police in tow, and hearing this on the Police radio so do Detective Carl Summer (Wilkinson) and his rookie sidekick Jim Melic (Courtney). Melic and Summer have known each other for years. The veteran Policeman Summer takes charge and pulls Toohey to one side to get his take on events, while sending Melic off to deal with rubberneckers, onlookers and the gathering media. Melic meanwhile is all ears and eyes surveying the scene and asking questions in his own mind because for him, things don't quite add up! Toohey passes a breathalyser test and is sent off on his way - a witness to a hit and run, and certainly not a suspect.

In the days that follow with the young lad in hospital in a coma, we are pulled into the distraught mothers bedside vigil; Melics further investigations of his own given his gut feelings that Toohey is covering something up and possibly aided & abetted by Summer; the relationship between Summer and  the young inquisitive untrusting Melic with something to prove; the relationship between Toohey and Summer that is long standing and respected by each; and the family relationship between Toohey and his wife Julie (George) as more of this matter is uncovered and Toohey wrestles with the truth, his conscience and his guilt. The question becomes who will prevail among the one who did it, the one who wants to cover it up and the one who wants to expose it?

The dialogue throughout is sharp; well written to give realism without over dramatising; the context is spot on; and the quality of acting by Edgerton, Wilkinson and Courtney especially is top notch but in an understated raw emotional and convincing way without the histrionics, the chest beating and the bravura that we see all to often in other similar features. Directed by Matthew Saville this is quality film making with a strong cast, a gripping story and assured Direction that ensures this tense, taut thriller delivers on the price of your ticket.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-