Release Date - 15th March, Cert - 12, Run-time - 1 hour 36 minutes, Director - Warwick Thornton

An Aboriginal child (Aswan Reid) changes the flow of an orphanage at risk of closure, especially for the head nun (Cate Blanchett) and her relationship with Christ.

Simplicity is at the heart of the quiet mysticism which connects the threads of The New Boy. We never fully know what the almost-silent Aboriginal 'new boy' (Aswan Reid) at an isolated orphanage is thinking yet still feel the profound effect he has on those around him, particularly head nun Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett) and her relationship with Christ. The orphanage is at risk of closure, with Sister Eileen pretending to be the male priest who formerly ran the building, before dying over a year prior, in letters to keep the place open; perhaps faith and devotion are what's helping things continue.

Blanchett excels as a force of calm restraint. She tries to teach the New Boy (credited as just that) about Christianity, unaware of the powers which he seems to be displaying. On his first night, Reid's character crawls under his bed and begins to produce sparks of light from his fingers. Such moments, brief and unflashy, never feel separate from the more naturalistic surroundings of the narrative. They mix with the spiritual developments and insights of Sister Eileen, particularly in the second half as the orphanage's church welcomes a statue of Jesus on the cross.

Throughout writer-director Warwick Thornton successfully leans into mystery over ambiguity. The New Boy's potential abilities are a restrained element rather than a case of what is real. They complement and eventually work hand-in-hand, with the subtleties of the surrounding developments calmly dealt with to avoid feeling grandiose or overbearing. Instead, the events and the characters who witness them are given time and space to grow amongst the quietness of the landscape.

Thornton's camera acts as an observer rather than an influence, and with this expands the interest that's to be found. Behaviour is such a key point of the different relationships we see take form over the 96-minute run-time. Most important to this behaviour is the fact that so much of it, largely from the titular character, is done with little speech. Allowing for the actions to feel grander on the small scale of the film. Growing interest over time thanks to the performances and how they capture the intrigue and bonds on display in a place full of varying uncertainties of the future. 

The New Boy makes for a thoughtfully executed drama of faith and mysticism from several different perspectives - including other members of the orphanage's staff, and indeed other boys in their care. The unexplained creates further interest and intrigue in the effects that the New Boy has on those around him, as well as the religious angles and themes of the film and his understanding of them. There's a lot quietly playing throughout, rewarding a re-watch, and successfully it never feels heavy or impenetrable.

Four stars - Jamie Skinner