The Water Diviner

« As such, it makes The Water Diviner a harder movie to really enjoy as if you’re aware of what was happening at the time; the omissions will be glaring and perhaps even irresponsible. (...) Nevertheless, I’d still recommend seeing it as it’s a lavish epic that never fails to entertain, although I’d be lying if I said the omissions didn’t bother me quite a bit. »

« The film gives a lot of space to emotions, but Crowe reins in his outsized personality to contribute an affecting, understated performance and, as director, underplays the allegories, particularly the recurring water motif, so they seep through the narrative organically. »

« In The Water Diviner, Crowe strives to strike a universal chord about the futility of war. Simplistic? Maybe. »

« Russell Crowe plays a grief-stricken Australian father who sets out for Turkey after World War I to find the three sons that have disappeared during the battle of Gallipoli in his ambitious, emotionally manipulative directorial debut. »

« Crowe’s beauty-seeking, but exoticizing camera is slightly outmatched by his performance, which anchors the film with regret tinged with hope. »

« L'interprète de Gladiator et Noah se montre en outre habile dans la direction d'acteurs, obtenant de convaincantes performances de tous ses partenaires. »

« Avec ce premier film en tant que réalisateur, l’acteur oscarisé Russell Crowe fait montre d’un sens esthétique. »

« Cela dit, son film est plombé par des excès en tous genres, de même qu'un point de vue qui frôle souvent la condescendance occidentale. »

« Crowe, comme d’habitude, se donne entièrement à son personnage. »