Not quite a masterpiece

Rating: 7/10 (31 December 2014)

The Water Diviner is a very interesting and beautifully-made film, giving an unusual post-war aspect of the well-known Gallipoli story. The production design, cinematography and acting are all excellent and the story (based on an actual event) is a powerful and moving one. Russell Crowe proves himself to be an able director, and the film is well structured and edited. I agree with other reviewers here that it also offers a sensitive and respectful view of Turkish culture. There is rather a lot of violence, both in the 'present' and in the flashbacks, although I realise that it is difficult to make a movie about war without depicting violence.
But unfortunately the whole film is deeply marred by the schmaltzy, unrealistic and frankly unbelievable 'love story' between the Aussie farmer Connor and an impossibly glamorous Turkish woman at the hotel. For me, this completely ruined an otherwise very good film. Sorry, Russell, but you have caved in to the Hollywood demand for soppy romance at the expense of verisimilitude.