Hugh Jackman has heaps of praise for “The Dry”.

“The Dry” had its wide release in Australia on New Year’s Day. Ahead of its American premiere, Jackman and IFC Films hosted an advanced screening for the movie adaptation of Jane Harper’s internationally bestselling novel. Jackman applauded lead actor and fellow Aussie Eric Bana for his efforts.

“First of all, you didn’t make a mistake anywhere across the board. It was an astonishing achievement. Eric, we’ve been mates for 25 years, but I just want to say that I thought you were phenomenal in this movie,” Jackman gushed. “You have this kind of stoicism and a brokenness. You held this entire film together – you’re never really off-screen. Your performance is astonishing.”

Bana offered his own perspective on starring opposite Genevieve O’Reilly.

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“The greatest gift of this film is the casting and getting Genevieve to play Gretchen was our first major coup and a really important piece of the puzzle and everything just felt completely right,” Bana explained. “I remember telling [director] Rob [Connolly] when we were prepping the film, that the elements here are so good, we just have to make sure we don’t make one mistake.”

“The casting was everything and it was so meticulous and perfect and everyone was easy to work with,” he elaborated. “Everyone just brought their best.”

Jackman hilariously shared an anecdote about filming “Australia” and how it pertained to Keanu Reeves and “The Matrix”.

“I have to tell you a little funny anecdote about [actor] Eddie Baroo,” Jackman began. “I worked with him on the movie ‘Australia’. We had a big fight scene so the first week of rehearsal was fight choreography and he pulls me aside and says ‘Mate, I just want to tell you a story about Keanu Reeves on ‘The Matrix’. He gave the entire stunt crew a Harley Davidson at the end of the film. I’m letting you know now that we’re going to be shooting for 7 months.'”

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“And every single day, he’d say ‘I can’t wait for that Harley, Mate! Of course, I didn’t give him a Harley and his wrap gift to me was a matchbox Harley Davidson with a note that said something like ‘You cheap b**tard!'”

A synopsis for “The Dry” reads, “Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to his hometown after an absence of over twenty years to attend the funeral of his childhood friend, Luke, who allegedly killed his wife and child before taking his own life–a victim of the madness that has ravaged the community after more than a decade of drought.

“When Falk reluctantly agrees to stay and investigate the crime, he opens up an old wound–the death of 17-year-old Ellie Deacon. Falk begins to suspect these two crimes, separated by decades, are connected. As he struggles to prove not only Luke’s innocence but also his own, Falk finds himself pitted against the prejudice towards him and pent-up rage of a terrified community.”

“The Dry” starring Bana and O’Reilly will make its American debut Friday, May 21 in theatres and everywhere you rent movies.