Sweet Country (15)

Adventure, Crime, Drama

Australian western set on the Northern Territory frontier in the 1920s, where justice itself is put on trial when an aged Aboriginal farmhand shoots a white man in self defense and goes on the run as posse gathers to hunt him down.

The critical consensus

With the ironic title firmly pointing the way, Thornton has crafted a fascinating look at the Aboriginal Australian experience, one that keeps surprising you until the final, galling shot.

(*) James Mottram, The List, 05/03/2018

Thornton combines the action elements and the social comment in a graceful and seamless way.

(*) Geoffrey Macnab, The Independent, 07/03/2018

Sweet Country is epic and personal, daring to tell a simple story in a challenging, arresting way. It’s a demanding two hours but leavened by great performances, especially from newcomer Hamilton Morris.

(*) Ian Freer, Empire Online, 06/03/2018

A pitiless yet poetic portrait of life on the Australian frontier.

(*) Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 08/03/2018

A painfully real portrait of racism in Australia.

Aimee Knight, Little White Lies, 09/03/2018

Stark and sun-bleached, Sweet Country makes the most of its locations to tell a story that strikes at the heart of Australia’s colonial past.

(*) Allan Hunter, Daily Express, 09/03/2018