by Annette Basile
Worth: $14.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Narelle Fraser
Intro:
The film shows the darkest side of humanity but, in Fraser, we also see its best.
Narelle Fraser has witnessed the dark side of human nature at frighteningly close range. The former police detective dealt with cases that covered the worst of the worst – rape, homicide, child abuse … And after 27 years in the police force, she fell apart.
The Policewoman is a documentary about her career and harrowing journey through PTSD, as told in her own words.
As a young woman, Narelle recognised in herself a gift for listening to people, and had a conviction to be of service. She volunteered as a Lifeline counsellor and often had to contact the police to ask them to check on callers who were at immediate risk of suicide. She saw that a role in the police force meant that she could really make a difference. She became a fully-fledged policewoman (or ‘skirt’ as they were called) in 1987, at the age of 27. She learned a lot at cop school, but what they didn’t prepare her for was the emotional and psychological toll of the job.
She struggled academically to get through detective training, but she got there. Despite those struggles, her police instincts were incredible. She worked on cases famous within Melbourne (like the Box Hill rapist) as well as ones that made national headlines. Her description of the 2005 investigation of the disappearance of Melbourne mother Maria Korp – the infamous ‘body in the boot’ case – stays with you.
But it’s not just the Korp tragedy that sticks in your mind – it’s the whole film. Fraser is a remarkable woman. She has the kind of empathy and compassion that should be a prerequisite for police work. And while there is, and always has been, a bad element in the force, Fraser represents its decency, while reminding you exactly how tough the job is.
Director Claire Pasvolsky (Three Chords and the Truth) has crafted a film which has more going for it than against it. The editing and narrative early on are all over the cop shop, but it soon settles into a clear, chronological storyline led by Fraser’s voice.
Miniature models, built to scale, are used to illustrate the crime scenes and add visual interest. These models were used for police investigations in the pre-digital era, and they look much like doll houses. We see Fraser peering into the small windows – recalling the crimes she helped to solve.
It’s only at the very end of this documentary that we hear any voices other than Fraser’s, and it may have strengthened the film to have brought more of these in earlier to give a broader perspective.
Yet The Policewoman is an effective documentary, and Fraser is a down-to-earth, straight-talking and likeable woman. The film shows the darkest side of humanity but, in Fraser, we also see its best.
The Policewoman will have its Victorian premiere at Echuca’s Paramount Cinema on Saturday 17 October, returning Narelle to the Rochester/Echuca district she calls home, before opening in cinemas nationally from 5 November.
