The Dry Look: Eric Bana

Eric Bana may be the star of Robert Connolly’s mystery thriller The Dry, one of the biggest Australian box office hits in years, but it’s his suave wardrobe that’s the real scene stealer. To coincide with the film’s digital release, MAXIM sat down with AFI award-winning costume designer CAPPI IRELAND (above) to talk practical dressing, wheat farmers and Tom Ford sunglasses…

While watching Eric Bana in The Dry, a tale of scandal, murder and betrayal in a fictional country Victorian town, we couldn’t help but take special note of his character’s suaveness. And judging by the social media reaction to the character, his Tom Ford shades are the unsung hero from the film. A city transplant who returns home to investigate a suspicious murder suicide, Aaron Falk’s journey from town pariah to quite literal saviour is enlivened by his outfits.
This practical yet polished wardrobe was costumed by none other than AFI award-winning Cappi Ireland (Lion, Wentworth). The result is the perfect sartorial metaphor of a city bloke returning to his hometown in rural Australia. To underscore the point, we’re shown several sequences of Aaron in his smart casual interacting with a bar full of blokes in high vis and stained singlets. “The juxtaposition was intentional but also part of the story,” says Cappi. “My mood board consisted of colours and textures and I referenced some TV detectives and also wheat farmers.”
The first step to analysing Aaron’s wardrobe is to hone in on the basic plot of the film, based on the novel of the same name by Jane Harper. “Falk drives from the city to a funeral intending on driving home the same day,” explains Ireland. “When he realises he needs to stay longer he purchases some shirts from the general store which essentially stocks shirts for farmers and workers. We chose a pale blue chambray R.M. Williams shirt, as not only did it look good on Eric it was something that farmers in the wheat industry wear a lot.”
In a time when many brands enthusiastically push their wares on film and television productions, Cappi eschews over-costuming characters in the latest styles. “Unless it’s really scripted that someone has to be ultra-modern, I avoid making a conscious-decision to use contemporary fashion.” This philosophy elevates an easily forgettable wardrobe into one that’s meticulous, striking and timeless. Ireland’s genius is in choosing carefully. Therefore, the black funeral suit we first meet our hero in had to be perfect. “We tried a bunch of suits on him and ended up with a two-button single breasted suit: classic and not too baggy.”
The much-discussed sunglasses Aaron wears throughout the film are Tom Ford ‘Giulio’ shades, and retail for $520. “He’s not flashy but the sort of guy that will splash out on a good pair of sunnies” reasons Cappi. “They are timeless in design and perfect for Falk.” More than any other accessory, these discreetly luxurious frames are practical. “There were a few pairs we tried on him. They didn’t have a distinctive logo, I mean people who know Tom Ford know what Tom Ford sunglasses look like but some people don’t. [Eric] particularly liked that style because they fit his face really well.”
Traipsing a blighted corner of rural Victoria, Bana’s character wears the shades for most scenes (unsurprising giving the harshness of his surroundings). “Usually, directors of photography hate sunglasses because they’re so hard to film, but there was just no way he would not wear sunglasses so they had to embrace them.” His signature shades also perfectly suit the earthy, wash-outed cinematography, making the inky frames seemingly come to life. “Our Production Designer Ruby Mathers made a fantastic colour palate choice which was to delete any green from the sets, props and costumes for the contemporary scenes and I think it really worked to help highlight the drought-stricken environment. It also helped distinguish between the eras in the story for the audience.”
Part of the film’s success is the familiarity of the story. After all, how many of us have at some point been dragged back to the country towns we fled long ago? “We wanted Falk to be very sleek and city compared to the country life he used to be a part of. He has a modern city apartment, drives an Audi [and] lives alone so he has the income to afford some classic pieces.”
With his small rotation of simple, well-cut outfits, Aaron dives into investigating the suspicious deaths, confronts a much older mystery and even finds time for a dinner out with an old high school flame (played by Genevieve O’Reilly). Of course, the key to nailing any wardrobe is to know what fits. Ireland agrees. “Eric has a great sense of style and knows what suits him. We presented choices and worked together from there. We also had the script and the book to work with to create his look and some choices were dictated by this.”
Among the racks of clothes, we wonder, was there anything Mr Bana vetoed? “A skinny jean or [anything] too fashion-y.” For Cappi, the process is the same whether it’s an A-lister or a day player. “Actors need to ‘own’ their costumes for their characters, they need to use the costume to help bring the character to life. They need to feel comfortable and the costume needs to “feel right” for the character. So if you can do that, no matter how big or small a star the actor is, then you have done your job.”
One of the first major Aussie films released since the COVID-19 pandemic, The Dry’s success has come as more than a pleasant surprise to Cappi. “It’s amazing, it’s been so well-received. My colleague can’t believe the messages we’ve got. Of all the films that I’ve done, it’s the one that I’ve had the most responses to on social media.” Speaking of which, some enthusiastic Reddit fans demonstrate that I’m not alone in my desire to recreate the Aaron Falk look. “My tips to recreate the look is to stick with classic styles. His jeans were slim fit Country Road. He wore Blundstones which he kept in his car if work or lifestyle required him to go city to country. Slim fit R.M. Williams shirts [and] one-pocket Industrie T-shirts which fit and hug in all the right places.” We sense there may be even more blokes searching for Blundstones and R.M. Williams shirts in May when the film is released Stateside, a rarity for an Aussie drama. “Tom Ford should be happy — he might sell a few more sunglasses,” laughs Cappi.
Whether costuming a star vehicle like The Dry or a local TV production, Ireland’s well-researched approach never waivers, “there’s no difference in the way you approach it: the same rules apply.” Next up, she’s turned her talents to the action film Mortal Kombat, a reboot of the popular video game franchise out this month. Where a more heavy-handed costumer may opt for an improbable array of outfits and accessories for their heroes, Cappi choses deliberately and sparingly. As a result, I’m left pining over those Tom Ford shades long after the mysteries were solved and The Dry’s credits rolled. Not all heroes wear capes, but a pair of Tom Ford shades never hurt. ■