Restraint

"Seclusion. Seduction. Survival."

2008 1h 34m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 141

DramaThriller

Synopsis

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Two fugitives land in hot water when they take a hostage who poses a threat to their well-being.

“Seclusion. Seduction. Survival.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Travis Fimmel
Ron
Teresa Palmer
Dale
Stephen Moyer
Andrew
Philip Holder
Sgt. Paul Widdens
Margie McCrae
Mrs. Wynott
Peter Davies
Terry Gilmore
Taylor Owyns
Angela (Antique Dealer)
Keith Robinson
Mr. Middleton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David Denneen
Writers: Dave Warner
Languages: English
Countries: Australia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 18 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David Denneen, shot by Simon Duggan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Toby Denneen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Travis Fimmel and Teresa Palmer and Stephen Moyer carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Seclusion. Seduction. Survival.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0441782 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David Denneen directs. Simon Duggan behind the camera. Toby Denneen cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Australia. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 18 years ago.
2Directed by David Denneen, shot by Simon Duggan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Editor Toby Denneen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Travis Fimmel and Teresa Palmer and Stephen Moyer carry the top of the cast.
5Marketing tagline: "Seclusion. Seduction. Survival.".
6IMDB entry: tt0441782 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Classified under 15 themes, including "australia", "robbery", "chase", "hostage".

The technical file

Cinematography: Simon Duggan
Editing: Toby Denneen
Sound: Liam Egan
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Restraint (2008)

Also by

David Denneen

Aches and Snakes
1973 · ★ 6.5

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2026-02-12
★ 7/10
Australia’s “Bonnie & Clyde” hole up in a rural estate Shot in mid-late 2005, this is a crime drama/thriller in the tradition of Polanski’s “Cul-de-sac,” both of which involve a home invasion of an artist’s abode. This one’s all-around more compelling with the main thug (Travis Fimmel) coming across as Chris Pine mixed with the psycho-ness of Brad Pitt’s character in “Kalifornia.” Meanwhile the troubled man of the manor is played by True Blood’s Stephen Moyer, who smacks of Roddy McDowall in the late ’60s or early ’70s, just more masculine and serious. On the feminine front, Teresa Palmer was an up-and-comer who hadn’t yet broken into the limelight during shooting. The story revolves around her being stuck betwixt a two-bit philistine and a cultured man of means. Despite the refinement of high society, is the latter really that removed from bestial actions? In any case, Teresa was 19 during shooting and a highlight, reminiscent of Reese Witherspoon mixed with some Kristen Stewart and a little Scarjo. She has a brief nude scene early on, mostly from behind; just a heads-up for anyone who might not want to be exposed to such. It struck me as organic to the story rather than forced. I saw the original 92-minutes version a couple years after it debuted and just viewed the recently released director’s cut, which wisely tightens things up by 9 minutes and adds a new score. I prefer the new version except for the curious decision to make it B&W. The director said he was shooting for “a new graphic look reminiscent of film noir.” It was shot in in rural areas of southeast Australia, specifically Goulburn and Camden in New South Wales, which are located between Canberra and Sydney. GRADE: B

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