I have a fondness for Australian film. Much of it is brilliant.The Dry is a decent crime thriller but its not, in my estimation, a great film.
There's a functional story behind The Dry but it lacks a certain cohesion. The ending that covers off, what is supposed to be a key focus of this tale, the death of a teenage girl, feels more than little, bolted on. Not to mention implausibly convenient.
There's a sense too, that many of the secondary characters, are filler. They are padding, in what is effectively, a "who dun-nit", plot line. This has the effect of making the film feel, at times, rather flat. Some characters show up more than once, throughout the course of the film but because they are not well established in your mind, you have a hard time recalling, who they are.
Looking beyond the shortcomings, this production is still a decent one. Quality acting talent brings this crime thriller to life and keeps you watching, till the closing credits. It might be flawed but its by no means boring.
In summary, a quality Australian production but not a great one. Certainly worth a look, if you like crime drama, from down under.