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In My Father's Den


In My Father’s Den (2004)



Adapted from a book by Maurice Gee, In My Father’s Den is about a war journalist who returns to his native New Zealand after seventeen years for the funeral of his father. As he stays on to sort out his father’s property family tensions flare and there are awkward reunions with past acquaintances. He befriends a local teenage girl and then finds himself under suspicion when she subsequently disappears.

Matthew MacFadyen plays the main character, Paul, a ‘lone wolf’ who is haunted by his experiences as a war photographer and his past in the small town he returns to. MacFadyen has been accused of being dull in some of his roles, but I didn’t find that to be the case here. He is well cast as Paul, who is successful but lonely, trying to recreate happier times through his relationship with the girl who may or may not be his daughter.

The film explores the flawed relationships between parents and children and siblings. This is a quietly thoughtful drama which builds up the tension and mystery really quite successfully. There is an underlying sense of unease running throughout the film. Key facts are only gradually revealed and the use of flashbacks and the implication that some of the characters have repressed memories adds to the suspense. Small town New Zealand is shown to be as fraught and dangerous as a war zone.

The soundtrack, including opera and Patti Smith, is very good, and essential to the atmosphere of the film.

I find it quite difficult to review this film, but would like to recommend it.

4/5