Last Updated on July 30, 2021

THE BABDOOK writer-director Jennifer Kent's new movie THE NIGHTINGALE has been snatching up positive word of mouth over the past few months since it premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival last year. Hell, our very own Chris Bumbray gave the film a glowing 10/10 review out of Sundance. Damn. I don't know about you but it's hard to argue with a perfect score like that!

And if you had any doubt from the word of mouth we've been hearing about the film since then, yes, THE NIGHTINGALE has officially been slapped with an R-rating via the MPAA for "strong violent and disturbing content including rape, language throughout, and brief sexuality."

Set in 1825 in the British penal colony of Van Diemen's Land now the Australian state of Tasmania, the flick follows:

Clare, a beautiful 21-year-old Irish female convict (Aisling Franciosi), who witnesses the brutal murder of her husband and baby by Hawkins, a British officer (Sam Claflin), and his cronies. Unable to find justice, she takes Billy, an Aboriginal male tracker (Baykali Ganambarr), with her through the hellish wilderness to seek revenge on the men, and gets much more than she bargained for.

The film stars Aisling Franciosi as Clare, Baykali Ganambarr as Billy, Sam Claflin as Hawkins, Damon Herriman as Ruse, Ewen Leslie as Goodwin, Harry Greenwood as Jago, Michael Sheasby as Aidan, Luke Carroll as Archie, and Charlie Shotwell as Eddie. THE NIGHTINGALE is directed by Jennifer Kent from a screenplay she wrote herself. Kent also produces the movie along with Kristina Ceyton, Steve Hutensky, and Bruna Papandrea.

Causeway Films and Bron Studios were the companies behind the production with music by Jed Kurzel, cinematography Radek Ladczuk, and editing by Simon Njoo. IFC is planning to give THE NIGHTINGALE a theatrical release on August 2, 2019. 

READ OUR 10/10 REVIEW