Strangerland 2015

In an isolated town in the heart of the Australian Outback, Tom finds himself wandering the quiet streets, often during the night when sleep eludes him, although the film opens with a bright sunny day. At home, his mother, Catherine, expresses her concern over his late-night strolls, urging him to stay indoors. Moments later, Burtie arrives at the door, ready to tackle some painting projects. Matthew, Tom’s father, greets him, but the scene soon shifts as Lily, Tom’s spirited 15-year-old sister, appears dressed scantily, dismissing their mother’s requests to change. She argues against attending school in the sweltering heat of over 40 degrees.

Both Tom and Catherine lament their new, isolated life, yet they remain conscious of the necessity that led to their relocation. Not long after, Tom makes a stop at the pharmacy where his father, Matthew, works, requesting some cash for ice cream. Matthew hands over some money, which Tom swiftly gives to Lily outside. Together, they venture to a local skate park, where they meet their friends Slug and Steve—the former sporting a Metallica t-shirt, while Steve, with an intricate snake tattoo, appears shirtless. Lily, caught up in the moment, pairs off with Steve, leaving Tom and the others behind.

As the narrative unfolds, Rae, a detective, finds herself entangled in a bizarre situation when Burtie returns home with his nephew, Jarrah, only to stumble upon Rae’s unexpected arrival. The tension shifts back at Lily’s home when she’s discovered playing in the kiddie pool after having changed into a bikini, despite Catherine’s attempts to check on her wardrobe needs.

One restless night, Tom and Lily decide to take a walk together, unaware that Matthew, who has also been struggling with sleep, notices them outside but ultimately chooses to stay put. The following morning, a frantic Catherine learns from the school that her children didn’t show up, leading to mounting anxiety as she scrambles to find them, only to be met with Matthew’s insistence to keep working.

As they struggle in their search for the missing kids amidst a brewing dust storm, the parents reveal secrets from their past to Rae, including Lily’s previous escapade involving a teacher, Neil. The situation escalates when they realize that most town members are aware of their plight, sparking concern for their family’s privacy.

Amid the chaos, Catherine discovers one of Lily’s diaries, filled with art and clues that hint at her feelings for Burtie. In an act of desperation, Catherine hands the diary over to Rae, warning him to keep its contents from Matthew, who still believes they should remain focused on searching for their kids.

Meanwhile, community support is sporadic, and even Coreen and Jarrah’s visit, bearing sandwiches, offers little comfort, as hints of an indigenous legend surface, promising more questions than answers. As time passes, Rae comes to suspect Burtie might be connected to Lily’s disappearance, leading to tense confrontations that culminate in Matthew confronting Neil about their past.

As the investigation progresses, the emotional strain leads Catherine to a breaking point; she fears Lily’s fate while grappling with the past. In a tense climax, Matthew discovers Tom, exhausted and dehydrated, pushing them to come to terms with their choices. As they struggle to hold their family together, scenes of nature intertwine with Lily’s expressive poetry, echoing their unresolved fears and the haunting grip of their isolated existence in the Outback.