Dead Heart

From Down Under comes an exotic murder mystery that recalls such clash-of-culture dramas as The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and Breaker Morant (which first put Australian cinema on the map). Bryan Brown stars as Ray, the sheriff in the remote village of Wala Wala. When a jailed aboriginal is found dead in his cell, Ray's investigation puts him at odds with aborigine tradition, which demands a native brand of justice. Stirring the pot is an illicit love affair (on a sacred site, no less) between a schoolteacher's wife and her husband's aboriginal teacher's aide. More challenging than such flamboyant crossover hits such as Strictly Ballroom and Muriel's Wedding, but worth the effort. A strong optional purchase. (K. Lee Benson)