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The Snowtown Murders (2011)
"Snowtown" (original title)

Not Rated  |   |  Biography, Crime, Drama  |  19 May 2011 (Australia)
6.6
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Ratings: 6.6/10 from 11,813 users   Metascore: 66/100
Reviews: 97 user | 159 critic | 13 from Metacritic.com

Based on true events, 16 year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder.

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, (story), 3 more credits »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Bob Adriaens ...
Gavin
Louise Harris ...
Elizabeth Harvey
Frank Cwiertniak ...
Jeffrey
Matthew Howard ...
Nicholas
Marcus Howard ...
Alex
Anthony Groves ...
Troy
...
Barry
Aaron Viergever ...
Robert
Denis Davey ...
Guitar Player
Allan Chapple ...
Prayer Reader
Beau Gosling ...
David
Brendan Rock ...
Marcus
Bryan Sellars ...
Minister
...
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Storyline

Sixteen-year-old Jamie lives with his mother, Elizabeth, and two younger brothers, Alex and Nicholas, in a housing trust home in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Their home is but one of many sun-starved houses crammed together to cater for a disenfranchised society. Jamie longs for an escape from the violence and hopelessness that surrounds him and his salvation arrives in the form of John, a charismatic man who unexpectedly comes to his aid. As John spends more and more time with Jamie's family, Elizabeth and her boys begin to experience a stability and sense of family that they have never known. John moves from the role of Jamie's protector to that of a mentor, indoctrinating Jamie into his world, a world brimming with bigotry, righteousness and malice. Like a son mimicking his father, Jamie soon begins to take on some of John's traits and beliefs as he spends more and more time with him and his select group of friends. The protection and guidance that John presents to Jamie is ... Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Based on the shocking true story


Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

| |  »

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

19 May 2011 (Australia)  »

Also Known As:

The Snowtown Murders  »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,273 (USA) (2 March 2012)

Gross:

$8,012 (USA) (16 March 2012)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Daniel Henshall (John) lived in the Snowtown area for 6 weeks in a hotel, and got to know the locals to help develop his character. See more »

Quotes

John Bunting: Do you like bein' fucked? Do you like bein' fucked? So why not do somethin' about it? 'Cause all I ever see you do is sook, mate. No? What didjah do about Jeffrey? Fuckin' nothin'. You see me and Robert mopin' about? Hmm? No you don't because you do that they fuck you forever. You don't want that, do you? When are you gonna grow some balls, mate?
See more »

Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2011 (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

Happy Birthday To You
Traditional
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill (as Paty Hill)
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User Reviews

 
The Boddies in the Barrels Murders.
28 September 2014 | by (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

The press junket and first wave of critical notices built Snowtown up as a throat ripper that will cause you nightmares. That didn't do it any favours as per expectation levels for the horror enthusiast. However, this is a superb piece of film making, a real gritty and grainy deconstruction of the human condition gone sour. As with all films of this type that are based on real life incidents, it pays to read up on the facts if you be so inclined.

Debut director Justin Kurzel doesn't shirk from the horrors of the case, but skillfully he doesn't bang everyone over the head with shock tactics to grab the attention. It's a relentlessly bleak picture, there's a continuous build of impending dread, of human devastation wrung out by a master manipulator (Daniel Henshall as John Bunting superb), the depressing story told through the eyes of the simple and confused Jamie Vlassakis (Lucas Pittaway).

Not to be watched if one is looking to be cheered up! But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be sought out as essential cinema. It's a strong and potent film, worthy of inspection by adults who understand that not all film is about entertainment. 8.5/10


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