Ryan Corr

Ryan Corr is funny in Ladies in Black (2018), and it is worth noticing how readily that suits him. As Rudi, he brings light comic timing to Bruce Beresford's period ensemble, a useful change from the emotionally demanding parts he is often given. We like this less solemn Corr, though our enthusiasm for the film itself has limits. Its warmth is appealing; several characters still need more attention than the screenplay gives them.

The shift makes sense in a career that moved from Australian television towards more demanding film parts. Wolf Creek 2 (2013) required physical commitment in a survival story, while The Water Diviner (2014) put him opposite Russell Crowe, who also directed. As Timothy Conigrave in Holding the Man (2015), he benefits from the close rapport with Craig Stott. The chemistry works; the casting is less convincing when the leads have to pass for teenagers.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) belongs chiefly to Andrew Garfield's persuasive conscientious objector. As Lieutenant Manville, Corr is credible in the ensemble, although this is a limited opportunity to show the warmth or comic timing that interests us elsewhere. We found the combat hard to bear because Mel Gibson stages it with such force. Gibson's relish for the violence complicates the film's respect for a man who refuses to kill; the reservation matters even in a drama we rate considerably above Ladies in Black.

His recurring Ser Harwin Strong in House of the Dragon (2022) continues the movement between leading roles and supporting work. We would welcome another substantial lead, particularly one that lets him use the humour alongside the vulnerability. A bigger production need not be a better opportunity for an actor whose chemistry with another performer can be more interesting than the demands of the surrounding story. For the lighter touch, try Ladies in Black, provided a genial but underwritten ensemble film is enough for the evening.