'Nitram' is a film that follows Martin – a young solitary man, who lives with his parents and deals with frustration in his everyday life. Everything changes when Martin develops an unexpected friendship with an older woman.
The film opens by showing us Martin and his everyday life – living with his parents and seemingly unable to find an occupation to devote himself to. Frustrating both his mother and father by wasting his time, Martin is shown having a hard time connecting with anyone – be it his parents or peers. To console Martin after an incident, his father takes him to a B&B he wants to purchase and the two agree to run the place after the transaction goes through.
In an effort to raise some money, Martin offers to mow his neighbours lawns and befriends Helen, a reclusive heiress. The two spend time together and Martin eventually moves in with her, much to the chagrin of his mother. Later on, the B&B Martin’s father wanted to purchase is bought out from under him, sending him in a downward spiral of depression. Martin visits with him in an attempt to rectify the situation, but to little success.
As Martin spends more time with Helen, the two agree to go to the US for vacation, but before they can arrange for the holiday, they are in a car crash, caused by Martin, and Helen dies. Martin inherits her fortune and property, and becomes increasingly isolated and bitter. He develops an affinity for firearms, which eventually leads him to commit the Port Arthur Massacre in April 1996.
‘Nitram’ is a psychological drama, exploring the background of Martin Bryant, the mass shooter that killed 35 people and injured another 23 during the shooting spree in April 1996 in Tasmania, Australia. The movie delves deep into examining Martins sensibilities and character, presenting him as an isolated and troubled man, who grows angrier and more desperate as time goes by. Unable to form a connection with any people his own age, Martin is left with his parents, a mother who is seemingly exhausted by having to take care of Martin and a father who suffers from his own issues.
By illustrating the difficulties Martin has with his parents, ‘Nitram’ probes deeper into the reasons for the man’s increasingly irritated demeanour. As he has very little autonomy regarding his own life, the friendship Martin develops with Helen provides for an out for him. Conversely, the tragedy of losing Helen paves the way for Martin as he heads down a dark path, familiarising himself with and obtaining a considerable amount of firearms. On losing his father, Martin seems to be driven further into isolation, as at the same time, he stops visiting with his mother, and devotes the majority of his time to practising shooting. To anyone not familiar with the tragic events that took place in the mid-90’s, the film presents Martins situation in a manner that almost warrants an inevitable conclusion that Martin will do something terrible. Everything leading up to the final minutes of the feature almost has a dark shadow cast over it, with the characters in an apparent state of tension. None the less, when the inevitable does happen, the audience is left in a state of shock and disbelief.
The main character is played by Caleb Landry Jones, and the actor presents the individual as a sad, complex and sorrowful person, illustrating the difficulties Martin faces and provides for a comprehensible rationale behind the individuals horrible breakdown. Even though Martin is not someone to be pitied, Jones evokes a sadness attached to Martin that never quite leaves the character, even when he is shown to be enjoying himself in Helen’s company.
Helen is played by Essie Davis, and the actress delivers a soft-spoken shut-in, who, on befriending Martin slowly begins to open up, and the twosome share in each others company. The screen-time that is shared by Jones and Essie Davis truly allows for the audience to connect with the pair, as they deliver a sense of closeness and real friendship.
The other stand-out in the film is Judy Davis who plays Martin’s mother. The actress brings a true sense of frustration to the screen, as a mother who has looked after and been afraid of her son almost his entire life. Judy Davis’ performance is amazing in every sense as the character she portrays on the screen can be understood entirely, with her fears realised in the end as she serves as the precursor to sensing that Martin is on the brink of doing something unforgivable.
‘Nitram’ can be considered controversial, as its subject matter centres around a mass murderer, responsible for the destruction of countless lives. A feature promoting the culprit of a national tragedy could be considered obtuse, however, ‘Nitram’ presents its main character as a multi-faceted, troubled and pitiable individual. Some might say that producing a feature centering on a murderer is wrong and distasteful, as it only contributes to their notoriety, however this film takes the time to examine beyond the foreground and deliver its observations of a complicated and problematic individual.
Score: 3/4
Comentários