Beautiful Kate is a 2009 Australian drama film directed by Rachel Ward. It is based on a novel by Newton Thornburg.
When Ned (Ben Mendelsohn) returns to his family home, he is shocked to find it in a state of disrepair. His father, Bruce (Bryan Brown), is dying, and his sister, Sally (Rachel Griffiths), is struggling to cope. Ned's fiancee, Toni (Maeve Dermody), finds the isolation and the family's dysfunction overwhelming, but Ned is determined to face the past and say goodbye to his father.
As Ned spends time with his family, he is flooded with memories from his childhood. He remembers his twin sister, Kate (Sophie Lowe), who was beautiful and wild, and his older brother, Cliff (Josh McFarlane), who was abusive and cruel. These memories force Ned to confront the secrets and lies that he and his family have been hiding for years.
As the film unfolds, we learn more about the family's past. We discover that Kate was sexually abused by Cliff when she was young, and that Bruce and Sally knew about it but did nothing to stop it. We also learn about Ned's own complicated relationship with Kate, and his guilt over not protecting her.
Beautiful Kate is a powerful and moving film about the ways in which families can be torn apart by trauma, secrets, and lies. Despite the difficult subject matter, the film is beautifully shot and acted, and the themes of love, loss, and redemption are explored with sensitivity and nuance.
