Slant

Melbourne's festive holiday atmosphere in 1999 is disrupted by the inexplicable vanishing of enigmatic socialite, Catherine 'Cath' Mason, leaving the city's elite scrambling for answers and gossip. Rachel Khoo, an ambitious and ruthless journalist working for the Melbourne Herald, sees Cath's disappearance as the ultimate opportunity to boost her sagging career. She is determined to uncover the truth behind Cath's life, but her pursuit will lead her down a twisted path of scandals, corruption, and moral compromise. As Rachel delves deeper into Cath's life, she discovers that the socialite's facade hid a multitude of dark secrets. Cath, an influential art patron and fashion icon, was known for her lavish parties and charitable endeavors, but Rachel's investigation reveals a trail of broken relationships, deceitful business deals, and substance abuse. The more Rachel learns about Cath's double life, the more she is forced to confront the possibility that her quarry's disappearance might be more than just a simple case of a woman on the run. One of the first people that Rachel encounters is Emma, Cath's enigmatic personal assistant, who seems reluctant to talk openly about Cath's disappearance. As their conversations become more strained, Rachel begins to suspect that Emma might be hiding crucial information about Cath's final days. Emma, in turn, is torn between her loyalty to Cath and her growing unease with the increasing attention from Rachel. Rachel's investigation also takes her to the upper echelons of Melbourne's high society, where she encounters a cast of characters that are equally complex and intriguing. There's Mark, Cath's troubled brother, who is struggling to come to terms with his own demons; and Tony, Cath's flamboyant art dealer, whose flamboyant lifestyle is built on a house of cards. Through her encounters with these characters, Rachel begins to unravel the intricate web of relationships and alliances that defined Cath's life and contributed to her disappearance. As Rachel's pursuit of the truth intensifies, she finds herself facing a multitude of obstacles that threaten to derail her investigation. Her editor is pressuring her for a quick solution to the story, while her relationship with her partner, Max, is starting to suffer due to her relentless focus on the case. Meanwhile, a series of cryptic messages and mysterious events seem to be connected to Cath's disappearance, suggesting that someone is trying to silence Rachel and prevent her from uncovering the truth. The stakes are further elevated as Rachel receives a cryptic message from Cath's phone, hinting that she is still alive and that her disappearance is more than just a simple case of a woman on the run. The message sets Rachel on a desperate quest to retrace Cath's final steps and uncover the truth behind her disappearance. As the tension builds, Rachel finds herself caught in a cat-and-mouse game with the person or persons responsible for Cath's disappearance. The investigation becomes increasingly personal, with Rachel's own demons and vulnerabilities beginning to surface. Through her journey, she is forced to confront the dark aspects of her own psyche and the moral compromises that have defined her career. Ultimately, Rachel's pursuit of the truth leads her to a shocking revelation that upends everything she thought she knew about Cath's life and disappearance. The climax of the film features a tense and suspenseful confrontation between Rachel and the person responsible for Cath's disappearance, as she is forced to confront the consequences of her own actions and the true cost of her ambition. In the end, "Slant" is a darkly comic thriller that subverts the genre's conventions to deliver a gripping and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition. The film offers a scathing critique of the social elite and their complicity in the disappearance of a vulnerable woman, while also exploring the darker aspects of ambition, power, and the human psyche. Through Rachel's journey, the film raises important questions about the cost of chasing success and the moral compromises we make in pursuit of our goals.