Well known actors trying their hand at directing is nothing new, though the results can go either way. At times these scenarios can produce surprisingly great results. Russell Crowe has certainly had an impressive career in the past few decades, even taking home the Oscar for Best Actor. His directorial debut THE WATER DIVINER opens this weekend, and it’s quite an impressive effort.

Opening in 1919, we’re introduced to Australian farmer Joshua Connor (Crowe) and his wife, who four years prior tragically lost all three of their sons that went to war against the Turks in the bloody Battle of Gallipoli. Joshua tries to press on, but his wife is overcome with grief and denial, and he soon realizes the only way she’ll be at peace is if he somehow finds their sons (whatever might be left of them) and brings them home. So he sets out for Istanbul, where he meets an innkeeper named Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), a beautiful and single mother to young Orhan (Dylan Georgiades). Connor befriends them both, and heads into the old battlefields with the assistance of Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdoğan), a Turkish officer that fought against Joshua’s sons and may hold the key to their final resting place. But the horrors of war still haunt the lands, and Connor may soon find out some harsh truths while searching for his deceased offspring.

Crowe’s work behind the camera is impressive, weaving an engaging and at times disturbing tale here. The screenplay by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios feels like a throwback to a more classic era of movies, utilizing the concept of a father searching for his loved ones in an exotic and unfamiliar setting. The locations are used smartly for full effect, whether it’s the sweeping and dusty plains of Australia or the war torn battlefields of Turkey, we never get the sense that the backdrops are inconsequential. There’s even some almost otherworldly segments, such as Joshua chasing after his boys in a flashback sequence involving a hellish sandstorm in Australia. The film has a very epic look and feel, capturing the aesthetics of the time period while somehow having an almost timeless quality.

The actors all have a strong sincerity in their performances, as if they knew this material could flow very well if approached in a loving manner. The emotional beats are never overplayed, but hit hard when they need to. Crowe plays Joshua as a sort of everyman we can all relate to, bold and determined with his journey, and dedicated to finish what he started. Some might assume this to be a vanity project, but it never feels vain or pretentious, rather sincere and controlled. There’s no doubt Crowe has learned a lot from the impressive directors he’s collaborated with through the years, and here he’s just as focused behind the camera as he is in front of it. Olga Kurylenko is smartly cast as the lovely Ayshe, dealing with her own demons and personal tragedies. Her scenes with Crowe are strong and believable, and they make a great duo in this very personal story. Yilmaz Erdoğan is also quite good as Connor’s unlikely helper in the fields, wearing the tragedies of war on his face while sympathizing with a man who has lost so much.

THE WATER DIVINER is a beautiful and haunting story, one that perhaps all ages can appreciate in some capacity. It should pave the way for Crowe’s future as a director, and hopefully educate some people on a sometimes forgotten war. Some scenes are a little hard to get through, in particular a flashback that illustrates the tragic fate of the three brothers – showing one of the most heart-wrenching and audibly disturbing depictions of dying in battle I’ve ever seen in a film. But the overall payoff of the production is worth it, and makes this movie one of the first big surprises of 2015.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
•