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The Rooster

2023 1h 41m Mystery & Thriller Drama List
63% Tomatometer 8 Reviews
Dan, an introverted police officer in a small country town, begins to unravel after he fails to follow police protocol when dealing with an incident involving his childhood friend Steve. The next day, Steve's body is found in the bush, buried in a shallow grave. Unfit to work and haunted by guilt, Dan spirals. When his pet rooster is killed by a fox, Dan lets go of the fragile tether he has on his sanity and retreats to camp out in the forest where Steve was found. After a chance encounter with an eccentric hermit living amongst the trees, Dan suspects that this man may have been the last person to see Steve alive. As Dan seeks answers, an unusual bond forms between the two men over games of table tennis. But all is not as it seems when Dan discovers that the hermit may have been responsible for a terrible act of violence. Read More Read Less

Critics Reviews

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Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) There are glimmers of filmmaking promise in The Rooster, but it’s overwrought, often clumsy, and only shakily conscious of its absurd side. Rated: 2/5 Feb 29, 2024 Full Review Stephen Romei The Australian This film is an intelligent, thoughtful debut from an actor turned director. Rated: 3.5/5 Feb 17, 2024 Full Review Luke Buckmaster Guardian As a “Hugo Weaving goes feral in the bush” movie, The Rooster delivers. As an exploration of masculinity and a drama about two men connecting, it’s decent but unexceptional. Rated: 3/5 Aug 9, 2023 Full Review Peter Gray The AU Review Navigates its meditation on masculinity with dark humour and uncomfortable fragility Rated: 3.5/5 May 8, 2024 Full Review David Griffiths Subculture Entertainment One of the most important films ever made about men's mental health. An amazing script well delivered by it's two leads who are in career best form. Mark Leonard Winter is a director to watch. Rated: 5/5 Feb 26, 2024 Full Review Jim Schembri jimschembri.com Strong on atmosphere but [the film] suffers from a narrative that places eccentricity over story...Weaving delivers some good moments but the film runs long and the third act is rushed. Rated: 2/5 Feb 21, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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The Rooster

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Movie Info

Synopsis Dan, an introverted police officer in a small country town, begins to unravel after he fails to follow police protocol when dealing with an incident involving his childhood friend Steve. The next day, Steve's body is found in the bush, buried in a shallow grave. Unfit to work and haunted by guilt, Dan spirals. When his pet rooster is killed by a fox, Dan lets go of the fragile tether he has on his sanity and retreats to camp out in the forest where Steve was found. After a chance encounter with an eccentric hermit living amongst the trees, Dan suspects that this man may have been the last person to see Steve alive. As Dan seeks answers, an unusual bond forms between the two men over games of table tennis. But all is not as it seems when Dan discovers that the hermit may have been responsible for a terrible act of violence.
Director
Mark Leonard Winter
Producer
Geraldine Hakewill, Mahveen Shahraki.M
Screenwriter
Mark Leonard Winter, Mark Leonard Winter
Production Co
Thousand Mile Production
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 41m