Pure Beauty!

Rating: 7/10 (28 May 2015)

Loosely based on the book of the same name, written by Andrew Anastasios and Dr Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios, 'The Water Diviner' which marks the Directorial Debut of Russell Crowe, is a beautiful film, that tells a tale that's saddening & yet moving. Crowe calls the shots with conviction & his performance in the central role, is beyond amazing!
'The Water Diviner' Synopsis: An Australian man travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to try and locate his three missing sons.
'The Water Diviner' is a story of pure beauty & depth. I was moved & engrossed by the people I saw in this film. Especially the protagonist, played by Crowe. Its a character thats entirely tragic & yet engaging. I wanted him to find his missing sons & also get some redemption.
'The Water Diviner' has one minus point though, and that's its pace. The slow-pacing in the first-hour acts a bit as a deterrent. But that's not much, since its a very superior tale otherwise.
Andrew Knight's Adapted Screenplay is emotionally charged & takes a look back at the tragedy that happened in the battle of Gallipoli. Crowe's Direction is very well-done. He has handled the film with conviction & that's commendable by all measures. Cinematography is lavishly done. Editing is sharp, more-so towards the second-hour. Art & Costume Design are perfect. War-Scenes are graphically shot. David Hirschfelder's Score is good.
Performance-Wise: Crowe commands the screen with a solid central performance. He enacts a complex part with amazing understanding. Its a winning performance by the master actor, yet again! Olga Kurylenko is wonderfully restrained. Yılmaz Erdoğan is alright. Jai Courtney leaves a mark.
On the whole, 'The Water Diviner' is a tale well told! Recommended!