A Cry In The Dark: Evil Angels (1988)

This film has a double title and is a little confusing. It was funded by an American company, filmed in Australia, based on an Australian book, and Directed by an Australian. Since it was funded by an American Company it qualifies for the American Film Institute [why Spaghetti Westerns don't is still beyond me]. So, it was released in Australia as "Evil Angels," which is the title of the book it was based on, and taken from a passage in a Seventh Day Adventist reading [the main characters are 7th Day Adventists]. The film was called "A Cry in the Dark" at the US release, if you buy a Region 1 DVD it will be called this, and the AFI recognized it on their 10Top10 as this.

So now that we have cleared that up, the actors are American as well. Sam Neill and Meryl Streep play husband and wife. This was Streep's 6th of now 11 Oscar nominations in the Leading Actress category, and well deserved.

For those that are familiar with Seinfeld and Elaine's quote at the dinner party, "The dingo ate your baby" will now have a reference point for that quote. The movie centers around a family on vacation in the outback when their baby is taken by a dingo in the night. The baby is never found and the media and public start questioning the parents.

It was a good acting performance by the leading characters, the story is pretty good, and the dingo scene is very chilling. Not what I expected from a top 10 "courtroom drama," but a good drama nonetheless. I just don't see watching it a second time, so it fits into the 7/10 rating.

Vote: 7/10

IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094924/

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