Tracks

“I just want to be by myself.”

For most people, this statement usually precedes a break-up, or a spa retreat. For Robyn Davidson, it preceded a 1,700 mile trek across Australia, with only four hard-earned camels and her faithful dog Diggity for company. Based on Davidson’s memoir Tracks, John Curran’s (Praise) beautifully shot film is an account of one woman’s desire to place herself in the wilderness of her own accord, and find meaning in the world, rather than in society.

Mia Wasikowska has made a career out of playing fiercely independent, understandably guarded women, and her portrayal of the flinty Davidson is one of the most authentically lived-in of her career. As Curran shows the simplicity of her lifestyle even before her trek, he reveals how Robyn’s biggest obstacles in the wild don’t come from nature, but from people. From visiting friends to gawking tourists; the brashness, loudness and inconsideration of human interactions feel jarring. Curran ups the noise and claustrophobically closes in the frames when others impose on Robyn’s space, ironically portraying her emotional distance from them.

But some try harder than others, including National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan (a fantastic Adam Driver, TV’s Girls), who is both awkwardly ingratiating and relentlessly kind. Another highlight is Mr. Eddy (Rolley Mintuma), an Aboriginal elder who guides Robyn through sacred land. The honesty of these interactions and Wasikowska’s performance is echoed in the languid journey, which is never melodramatic, but meditative and meaningful.

Mandy Walker’s dazzling cinematography was inspired by Smolan’s photographs, and is an exercise in dusty red aridity. As Robyn’s skin burns and peels, Curran’s film is also about shedding a layer of ourselves in order to truly feel the world around us; both the warmth and the pain.