In 1958, an aboriginal man, Max Stuart (David Ngoombujarra), is tried for the alleged murder of a young white girl. A judge gives him the harshest punishment, execution, despite a lack of substantial proof, aside from a confession he signed despite his illiteracy. Several individuals spring up in response to the judge's swift decision. Stuart's defense lawyers (Robert Carlyle, Kerry Fox) fight the ruling, while a young Rupert Murdoch (Ben Mendelsohn) explores the issue in a newspaper.

Critic Reviews:

• " finds just the right balance between scenes inside and outside the courtroom, and deftly juggles an unusually large number of characters without ever seeming cluttered. " – Anton Bitel (Movie Gazette)

• " Unlike the title, life is far from black and white, and this satisfying journey offers us a menu of many of its shades of grey. " – Louise Keller (Urban Cinefile)