The Square | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Nash Edgerton |
Produced by | Louise Smith |
Written by |
Joel Edgerton Matthew Dabner |
Starring |
David Roberts Claire van der Boom Joel Edgerton Anthony Hayes Peter Phelps Bill Hunter |
Music by |
Frank Tetaz Ben Lee |
Cinematography | Brad Shield |
Edited by | Luke Doolan Nash Edgerton |
Production
company |
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Distributed by | Village Roadshow Limited |
Release date
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Running time
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107 minutes |
Country | Australia |
Language | English |
The Square is a 2008 Australian neo-noir thriller film directed by Nash Edgerton, written by his brother Joel Edgerton and Matthew Dabner, and starring David Roberts and Claire van der Boom. Based upon an original idea by Joel, the project was written and then shelved by the actor because he felt it was not strong enough. It was only made after his director brother Nash read the script and convinced him it could be filmed as a thriller. The film premiered in competition at Sydney Film Festival on 15 June 2008 and after that had a limited release in Australia on 31 July 2008, and was released in North America in 2010 by Apparition.
Raymond Yale (David Roberts) and Carla Smith (Claire van der Boom) are lovers in a small Australian town living across the river from one another. However, both are already married; Raymond to a loveless wife and Carla to a domineering petty gangster Greg "Smithy" Smith (Anthony Hayes). Ray and Carla plan to leave their respective spouses and run away together, although Ray insists that they delay until he has enough money to ensure a new life together. As a foreman overseeing the construction of a new leisure resort for property developer Gil Hubbard (Bill Hunter), Ray has been doing underhanded deals with construction worker Barney (Kieran Darcy-Smith) for the hefty kick-backs which he hopes will eventually land him enough to run off with Carla.
In the meantime, Ray and Carla are forced to conduct their affair in secret, occasionally made awkward by meeting each other at local events and by Carla's dog periodically escaping and instinctively running to Ray's house to meet his dog. One day, after returning home from work, Carla sees Smithy wiping blood off his hands and stashing a duffel bag full of cash into their ceiling; presumably the loot from an armed robbery conducted by Smithy's gang. Carla tells Ray, insisting this to be the end of their financial troubles, and although he is initially hesitant she finally persuades him to steal the money.