
The Water Diviner
Russell Crowe makes his directorial debut with this war story set after the Battle of Gallipoli in 1919 - the World War I campaign fought by ANZAC, Turkish and Allied troops - about an Australian farmer (Crowe) who travels to Turkey to find his three missing sons. Co-stars Olga Kurylenko.
Reviews & comments
Based on true events
This was a touching and meaningful film, that combined the horror & devastation of war with the love and devotion of a father. An uplifting story based on true events, that inspires you to be glad for the era we live in now and to not forget the thousands of sons who died and never returned home.
Stick to acting please Russ.
No, sorry. Russell Crowe is not a great actor but he was the best actor in this mess of a film. The casting was bizarre. How could anyone think a russian b grade actress could play a feisty turkish woman? As for the editing well I think they must have been on too many tea breaks while leaving the film running and don't get me started on the music. The worst...
Crowe Brings to Rememberance
A great film completely carried by Crowe's performance as he restrains himself and the film from very easily falling into the mire of sentimentality but still managing to rightly convey the weight of the loss at Gallipoli. The film was well paced until the last 30 minutes which felt like a canter to the finish line. But all and all a great way to spend a...

Variety
pressMarks an ambitious if emotionally manipulative directing debut for Russell Crowe.

The Guardian
pressA postcard war melodrama illuminated by beautiful colours and sunshine-through-leaves lighting.

Sydney Morning Herald
pressThe romanticism and sentiment take hold; repetitions and flashbacks crowd in, along with slow-motion camera effects that no-one really needs.

SBS
pressThe movie's not without its problems, but it's hard to fault its reverent determination to look beyond the jingoism of the Anzac Legend, to make salient points about reconciliation.

Hollywood Reporter
pressRussell Crowe taps a deep well of symbolism, cultural empathy and good old-fashioned storytelling.

FilmInk
pressAn awkward beast, one that's too large and unwieldy for intimate drama, yet too small for the enormous frame that it hopes to fill.

Variety
pressMarks an ambitious if emotionally manipulative directing debut for Russell Crowe.

The Guardian
pressA postcard war melodrama illuminated by beautiful colours and sunshine-through-leaves lighting.

Sydney Morning Herald
pressThe romanticism and sentiment take hold; repetitions and flashbacks crowd in, along with slow-motion camera effects that no-one really needs.

SBS
pressThe movie's not without its problems, but it's hard to fault its reverent determination to look beyond the jingoism of the Anzac Legend, to make salient points about reconciliation.

Hollywood Reporter
pressRussell Crowe taps a deep well of symbolism, cultural empathy and good old-fashioned storytelling.

FilmInk
pressAn awkward beast, one that's too large and unwieldy for intimate drama, yet too small for the enormous frame that it hopes to fill.
Based on true events
This was a touching and meaningful film, that combined the horror & devastation of war with the love and devotion of a father. An uplifting story based on true events, that inspires you to be glad for the era we live in now and to not forget the thousands of sons who died and never returned home.
Stick to acting please Russ.
No, sorry. Russell Crowe is not a great actor but he was the best actor in this mess of a film. The casting was bizarre. How could anyone think a russian b grade actress could play a feisty turkish woman? As for the editing well I think they must have been on too many tea breaks while leaving the film running and don't get me started on the music. The...
Crowe Brings to Rememberance
A great film completely carried by Crowe's performance as he restrains himself and the film from very easily falling into the mire of sentimentality but still managing to rightly convey the weight of the loss at Gallipoli. The film was well paced until the last 30 minutes which felt like a canter to the finish line. But all and all a great way to spend a...
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