THE ROVER – The Review

Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson prove that it takes more than just heavy dialogue to make a powerful movie in David  Michôd’s latest film, THE ROVER.

Ten years after the fall of Australia, Eric (Guy Pearce) sets out to hunt down three gun-toting men after they steal his car. Shortly into his mission he finds Rey (Robert Pattinson), the half-witted brother of one of the car thieves. Pearce forces Ray to come with him, and the two soon realize that they have the same end goal… revenge.

David Michôd takes viewers into a dark, post-apocalyptic world where everyone seems to be out for themselves, struggling to live. We aren’t sure what caused the fall of their civilization, only that most people were there to work in the mines. Michôd doesn’t give a ton of backstory, and the film is paced for a slow reveal, so patience is key. Rather than relying on heavy dialogue, he lets the scenery, and raw emotion of the characters tell a story of two lost individuals trying to survive.

Guy Pearce is always a treat to watch onscreen. This is the second film he has done with Michôd, but this time he takes the lead and shows audiences just how talented he is by bringing his anti-hero character to life without a tremendous amount of dialogue. Pearce is probably one of the most underrated actors of this generation, and if this film doesn’t convince you of his talent, then I don’t know what will!

This film is a big departure from most of Pattinson’s previous films. It seems that he is choosing more artistic, independent films over blockbusters. I’m not sure if this is to break away from his TWILIGHT reputation, but it’s working. Twi-Hards expecting the sparkly, handsome man that they fell in love with as Edward will be sadly disappointed. Instead, they will be greeted by a slow talking, dirty kid who is severely lacking in the IQ department. Having said that, he is phenomenal! Pattinson’s performance surprised me, and left me impressed. He’s making smart film choices, and it shows!

Pearce and Pattinson have an amazing chemistry together, and carry this film in a way that most actors wouldn’t be able to. While neither character is very likable, they somehow manage to make the audience invest in their journey through the incredible Australian landscape. Michôd paints a tonally somber, yet eerily beautiful background for Eric and Rey to exist in.

THE ROVER is both depressing and rewarding. This film is one of the more impressive indie films that i’ve seen this year, and worth the trip to the theater just to watch the chemistry and talent of its leading men.

OVERALL RATING : 4 out of 5 stars

THE ROVER is in theaters now