Thanks to the success of Netflix’s hottest new show, Untamed, people are rediscovering how great of an actor Eric Bana is. Vastly underrated for the majority of his career, the crime series shows that he’s got what it takes to lead a thrilling drama, and as folks cozy up to him now thanks to his incredible talent, another of his past projects is finding good fortune on streaming.
After cutting his teeth in such movies as Black Hawk Down, Hulk, and Munich, Bana became a steady staple in films throughout the 2010s. While they weren’t all hits, they certainly showcased what he could do as an actor, even if the material wasn’t up to snuff. After disappearing for a while from the big screen in 2017, he returned with a vengeance in 2021’s The Dry, an Australian crime thriller directed by Robert Connolly that’s found new life on Hulu, as it recently entered the streamer’s Top 15 movies list at #10.
Based on the novel by Jane Harper, The Dry stars Bana as Aaron Falk, a federal agent who returns home to attend the funeral of his childhood friend, Luke, who allegedly killed his wife and son before taking his own life. After being asked to investigate the matter by Luke’s parents, old wounds are reopened that threaten to unravel the tight-knit town of Kiewarra as the truth surrounding what really happened is revealed. Hitting theaters down under at the tail end of 2020, The Dry became one of the top ten highest-grossing films of the year in Australia, and thanks to IFC Films, was released here in North America on May 21, 2021.
Critics and Audiences Had High Praise for ‘The Dry’
Also starring Genevieve O’Reilly, Keir O’Donnell and John Polson, reception to The Dry was overwhelmingly positive, to say the least. It’s Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 90% rating from critics, and its audience score trails just one point behind at 89%. Called a “damn good Australian crime drama” by M.N. Miller, critic Alex Saveliev wrote:
“The Dry delivers on all expected fronts, boasting stellar performances from the ensemble cast, muscular direction, psychological dilemmas, and atmospheric location.”
MovieWeb’s own Julian Roman also had nothing but good things to say about The Dry in his review, calling it “a meticulously crafted murder mystery set in a scorched and unforgiving landscape,” with Bana’s performance being “a reminder of his significant talent and screen presence.” Many other critics also took the time to heap praise on The Dry’s incredible cast, with Bana being called out by more than a few for the way he carried the movie.
Even now, four years after its theatrical debut here in the United States, The Dry is still being praised by fans who’ve only just recently discovered it. Called “an intense and well-crafted thriller” by some, and a “great movie with brilliant acting and a fantastic storyline” by others, it’s clear that the film is more than deserving of its current streaming ranking.
If you want to check it out for the first time, or perhaps watch it again to be reminded of how great Bana really is, The Dry is streaming now on Hulu.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
