The Turning

Tim Winton, one of Australia's most popular and respected writers, penned the scripts for this anthology based on his titular 2005 short story collection. The original three-hour Australian version included all 17 tales in the order in which they appeared in print; but this film is an abbreviated cut featuring nine episodes in altered order. Like most anthology films, the result here is of variable quality, but there are definite high spots, most notably “Long, Clear View,” directed by actress Mia Wasikowska, which tells a quirky and darkly comic tale about a boy's obsession with guns. Also memorable are “Reunion,” about a family that intrudes on the wrong house when trying to visit old friends, and “Sand,” a poetic piece about a near-tragedy that befalls two boys on a beach. But most of the remaining six—including the title story—are far less satisfying, amounting to vignettes about growing up or cutting loose that are both obvious and relatively shallow. Fans of Winton will likely be interested, so consider this a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)