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Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Meryl Streep, Sam Neill, Bruce Myles, Nick Tate ... see more see more... , Neil Fitzpatrick , Charles 'Bud' Tingwell , Maurie Fields , Dorothy Alison , Vince Gil , Ian Gilmour , Sandy Gore , Frankie J. Holden , Jim Holt , Brion James , Mark Little , Kevin Miles (II) , Tim Robertson , Debra Lawrence , Matthew Barker , Mervyn Drake , Bill McCluskey , Dennis Miller , Burt Cooper , Peter Hosking , John Howard (II)

A barely recognizable Meryl Streep plays the real-life Lindy Chamberlain, who for a long period in the early '80s was the most hated woman in Australia. While visiting the Ayers rock monument in the O... read more read more...utback with her husband, Michael (Sam Neill), Lindy notices a dingo creeping into the tent where her baby lies sleeping. Seconds later, the horrified woman discovers that her child is gone. Despite Lindy's anguished insistence that the dingo killed her baby, the Australian public is of the opinion that Lindy herself is the murderer. This lynch-mob atmosphere is fueled by the press, which insists upon crucifying the Chamberlains in print on a daily basis. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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63% liked it

7,518 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

26 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 1 min.

Directed by: Fred Schepisi

Release Date: November 4, 1988

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DVD Release Date: December 21, 1999

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Stats: 283 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (283)

  • imrealgod
    September 8, 2010
    imrealgod
    "The dingo's got my baby!"

    I can't recollect how I stumbled upon this flick. But besides the above quote, a few other things tempted me to go for it:

    --> its title (Evil Angels)
    --> that it's based on true story
    --> its IMDb Rating
    --> its genre
    --> somewhere while browsing its... read more IMDb page, I read "miscarriage of justice," which apparently is my area of interest
    --> that it stars Meryl Streep

    While a couple is on a vacation with their 3 children at Ayers Rock, their 10 weeks old baby disappears one night. The mother of the baby, Lindy Chamberlain, claims that a dingo took her baby. As bizarre as it sounds, some people find it quite hard to believe, & after a bit of police investigation, she ends up being accused for the murder of her child. What follows is what you should check out for yourself.

    The movie kinda tries to expose how media, at times, uses facts as per its convenience to boost its sales/viewership. It also shows how, as it often happens, someone's misery is merely a gossip tool for the public & how the speculations & rumors can sometimes cloud the judgments. While I appreciate its intent, somehow, I didn't find the movie that effective overall. It's good, but it could have been better than this. Was it made in a rush (taking into consideration that the final judgment was passed on September 15, 1988)? The execution wasn't quite up to the mark.

    Another thing that I found disappointing was the performances. Sam Neill was slightly below average. But what surprised me more was that Meryl Streep, for this once, seemed to me a miscast. She didn't look quite convincing in this role (although usually she adapts & absorbs herself quite well in almost any role; we're all quite aware of her versatility). Anyway, that's just me, because almost everyone else has applauded her performance & she even got nominated for several awards, including Oscar.

    All in all, the movie is still worth a watch once as it is. But it surely could have been greater than 6.5/10.


    A BIT OFF TOPIC: When I found that it's available on Youtube, I thought of giving it a go there. However, while the quality was good, it wasn't up to the standards I've got used to lately (but I guess those used to watching movies online will find it good enough. I used to do that for a while when I was a beginner on the internet, but haven't done so since quite long). So I stopped right after watching the first part there. Thought I'd mention it just in case any of you wanna check it out on youtube.
  • smith44
    August 7, 2009
    smith44
    Lindy Chamberlin: "The dingo took my baby!" words forever etched in the Australian cultural psyche. A great courtroom drama film and a terrific performance by the incomparable Meryl, who had to play not only an Australian accent but also with a hint of A New Zealand accent refle... read morecting the background of Lindy Chamberlain.
  • fernandorafael
    June 17, 2009
    fernandorafael
    A CRY IN THE DARK is an extremely well told, deeply involving drama.

    Director Fred Schepisi is excellent in the directors' seat, as is Meryl Streep in the lead role, proving once again why she's an acting legend. Her portrayal of Lindy Chamberlain is chillingly perfect.

    S... read moream Neill brings good support to this Streep-centric film.
  • hobster1
    January 9, 2009
    hobster1
    Absorbing true life drama about one of the most controversial murder cases in Australian history. Film's dissection of how the media shapes the "truth" should be mandatory viewing for any reporter. Meryl Streep, in an Oscar nominated part, gives a subtle, even-handed performanc... read moree that proves she is one of the greatest actresses....ever.
  • JennifairyW
    May 24, 2008
    JennifairyW
    "The dingo's got my baby!!!" :)
  • deano
    January 29, 2007
    deano
    Fine true storyof the media and legal constructions of the Chamberlain story. Meryl Streep makes good performance as Lindy Chamberlain in her debut Aussie film.
  • jimbotender
    October 8, 2009
    jimbotender
    Tearjerker,profoundly didactic and yet Streep transforms Schepisi's dry,frustrating wrath into a dynamic noise,a justifying presence,an effect only real actresses like her possess.
  • ileo
    November 5, 2007
    ileo
    This is one of those films that I shockingly remember from watching it the first time around.
    Meryl Streep is fantastic in this film, very impressive!
  • placeinthesun455
    September 12, 2011
    placeinthesun455
    this wasn't really a bad movie, but I didn't especially enjoy it. there was very little character development--the focus was clearly on Streep and Neill, but I didn't find myself relating to them or feeling any great deal of sympathy. I felt bad for them only because of the medi... read morea circus that built up around them. if this film's objective was solely to piss off the audience by showing how damaging media and popular opinion can be, then it succeeded triumphantly. if it wanted to tell any touching personal stories or conduct any intriguing character studies, I have to believe it failed. this is almost one of those stories where a documentary would have been far more telling and interesting than a dramatic interpretation.
  • holmennnguy
    July 2, 2008
    holmennnguy
    "The dingo's got my baby! " Truly, an amazing and depressing film. It's the story of a family who is camping when the mother sees a dingo take her baby. Then, both the mother and father are put in court with suspicion of them murdering their baby. It's so depressing how civilizat... read moreion can't just leave you alone when you're at your hardest times. ***SPOILERS*** I cannot imagine what I would've done if they didn't find that jacket, with the mother in jail! Thank goodness. ***END OF SPOILERS*** This is a film to be seen by anyone.

View All Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
December 19, 2011
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Streep's beauty and talent and director Fred Schepisi's intelligence are both shown to best advantage, without easy points or grandstanding. Full Review

Sheila Benson
December 19, 2011
Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times

Streep and Neill are the film's perfectly matched thoroughbreds. But the film is neither a double star turn nor the best kind of courtroom drama; it is a sort of epic mosaic of national character. Full Review

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Streep ... plays Lindy Chamberlain with the kind of virtuosity that seems to redefine the possibilities of screen acting. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Streep's performance is risky, and masterful. Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Streep -- yes, with another perfect accent -- brings her customary skillfulness to the part. It's not a showy performance, but the heroine's internal struggle seems to come from the actress' pores. Full Review

Nigel Floyd
December 19, 2011
Nigel Floyd, Empire Magazine

The powerful performances and sharp script augment this revealing human drama. Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Streep (the best thing she has done in ages) carries it along. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 30, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Meryl Streep gives another stellar performance in this fact-based Australian drama about a working class woman accused of killing her daughter. Full Review

Nick Davis
September 25, 2004
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

Admirably off-putting performance by Streep in a reasonably involving Australian court drama.

Jake Euker
July 8, 2004
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

Remarkably even-handed; Streep's much-touted performance distracts.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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