Acclaimed Australian Drama has always relied on a formula that, for the most part, depicts the devastating repercussions of family conflicts. Whether it's a story related to drug abuse, family trust or exploitation of the Australian way of life, cinema-goers have never really been given the choice of watching a film that transcends the character stereotype.

Recent films such as Somersault and Candy may have helped re-establish (ergo, reinforce) an identity for Australian Cinema, but when the boundaries aren't being pushed (i.e. films that go no further than a "really makes you think" mindset), it feels as though local cinema is only adding to the clichés that could be avoided with more imagination during the screenwriting process. 'Genre Picture' is a phrase that is becoming unavoidable when it comes to home-grown features.

Enter Noise.

Directed by Matthew Saville, the film tells the pseudo-prosaic tale of Graham McGahan (Brendan Cowell), a tinnitus-suffering cop sent to supervise the police van on a suburban shopping strip following a series of murders that disrupt a community. As McGahan begins to engage with traumatised locals, he learns to come to grips with his role as a cop and as a human. The film explores the notion that we are at our best when the worst occurs.

While not ground-breaking, the film is a good step away from a reliance on exploiting not only the character identity on-screen, but also the audience's vulnerability. Saville's interest lies in the way we can discover ourselves when an ineluctable situation arises: "We...discover how extraordinary we can sometimes become through simple acts of kindness, uncharacteristic displays of strength, love compassion and courage.

"Even in an imperfect world, we still aspire to dignity, that the bravest among us are the few who forgive cowardice in others and rally to overcome it in themselves."

The strength of the screenplay also allows for the notion that not everything needs an explanation. In this case, the film puts faith in having "fractured characters pursue a cold-blooded killer whose motives remain unknowable and inexplicable". Saville isn't offering any reasons, either, as there are none. Speaking candidly, Saville finds the script pursuit of a resolution "rather uninteresting", stating that "spree killers are almost invariably motivated by mental disorders", adding, "They kill because they believe they have a right to salve their need to."

While the premise is enticing enough to attract cinema-goers, it's the depth of direction and absence of star-influenced sway that help protect the feature from becoming another one to distinctly classify under 'Australian Drama'.

Noise hits cinemas in May.