Downriver

A moody but unsatisfying mystery, the Australian drama Downriver stars Reef Ireland as James, a gay teen who has spent a few years in lockup for the apparent drowning of a boy whose body was never found. James had an epileptic seizure at the time the child vanished, so he has no clear idea of what actually happened. Confronted by the dead boy's still-anguished mother shortly before being released, James returns home to a riverside trailer park where his own mother (Kerry Fox) lives, and he is determined to figure out what really transpired. James's return makes some people in the area uncomfortable, while others, including a young teen neighbor and his mother's kind new boyfriend (Robert Taylor), extend compassion and support. As James moves closer to finding out the truth, Downriver becomes increasingly tense, but also narratively murkier and less plausible. Even with the suspense, however, the film is weighed down by numerous scenes of stillness and passing time, where nothing is happening beyond forced stylishness. Not recommended. (T. Keogh)