Every time when it comes to the past, you know it’s always better to leave it where is it. But what if something dreadful, outrageous and uncontrollable happened that took an innocent child’s life and you have no memory of it? Film from the Australian filmmaker, Grant Scicluna will remind you again how sometimes it’s necessary never to leave a question unanswered. Ever!
James has served time for drowning a little boy in the river when he was a child. The body was never found. When a visit of the victim’s mother occurs prior to the decision being made whether James can be released from prison or not, the young man becomes determined to find the truth about that life-changing day, that caused the loss of a child’s life, and him being locked up in prison.
The first day when James finds himself freed from the jail, he embarks himself onto a dangerous quest, where apparently a few people don’t want this to ever happen. James realizes that one wrong move can send him back to jail, however, an opportunity to give the answer to a grieving mother, and to himself blinds him. Soon, when James meets his childhood friend, Anthony and Damien (Charles Grounds) boost the result way faster before everyone even realizes it.
“Downriver” is a mysterious thriller with solid performances from the entire cast. It creates a suspenseful environment, well develops the story, and the character that significantly changes the part one to the part two of the film. By the time when the story is about to get to its conclusion, the intensity is so strong that you don’t even know what to expect. Grant Scicluna who also wrote the screenplay precisely felt the entire story that allowed the actors to be in sync with his approach.
In conclusion, “Downriver” is a film that won’t let you rest throughout the film. It will make you wonder what will happen next, even though, at some point you might be able to predict the outcome. But the best part about this film is you never know what you expect down the river. As you get closer to it, you find yourself totally drowned into it as long as you sit in a cool and friendly auditorium, not in a cold and dark bottom of the river.