australian television information archive

Jack Irish: Black Tide

Telemovie 2
Sunday, October 21, 2012 (ABC1)
Ratings: 0.851 million viewers (13th)
Written by Matt Cameron
Directed by Jeffrey Walker

Life's gone pear-shaped for Jack Irish. He's back to takeaway Chinese for one after his girlfriend Linda abandoned him for a career in Sydney, a flashy Brisvegas type is muscling in on the racetrack action, and his cabinet-making still leaves a lot to be desired. So when an old teammate of his dad's turns up looking for help, it's a welcome distraction for Jack.

Des Connors' son Gary has gone missing, having nicked off with all Des's money. But sometimes prodigal sons go AWOL for a reason. As Jack begins to dig he discovers Gary was a man with something to hide and a very good reason to disappear — or be disappeared.

Finding Gary turns nasty when Jack pushes the wrong buttons at the headquarters of a national transport company owned by one of Australia's wealthiest men. Suddenly there are a disturbing number of faceless people in ill-fitting suits taking an interest in Jack's quest including Dave — an obsessive federal agent and head of a clandestine operation called Black Tide.

Meanwhile, Ricky Kirsch, a Brisvegas former horse trainer, is moving in on the turf of Harry Strang, Jack's friend and sometime employer. Ricky fixes races and hits on a dead man's wife at the funeral, but when he starts killing jockeys he crosses the line.

The body count in Gary's case is rising at an alarming rate. A missing webcaster, two overripe corpses in a long-term car park and a dead Fed who has turned to consommé in a water tank all point to one thing — Jack is in way over his head. It turns out Gary is a witness who could bring down a business empire and more. The race to find him becomes a lethal sprint. First prize — staying alive.

Cast:

• Guy Pearce as Jack Irish
• Phetsmorn Inthavong as Thai Customs Official
• Sombat Chamclam as Thai Customs Official
• Nicholas Coghlan as Gary Connors
• Lachy Hulme as Dean Canetti
• Diana Nguyen as Thai Flight Attendant
• Don Hany as Dave Gwynne
• David Rock as Bill
• Brendan Rock as Ben
• Aaron Pedersen as Cam Delray
• Roy Billing as Harry Strang
• Brooke Robertson as Dougie Armit's Widow
• Neil Melville as Ricky Kirsch
• Allan Meggett as Funeral Piper
• Gabriel Smith as Young Jack
• Jasmine Lee as Jack's Mother
• John Arnold as Jack's Grandfather
• Damien Richardson as Drew
• Bob Franklin as Brendan O'Grady
• Ronald Jacobson as Des Connors
• Terry Norris as Eric
• Ronald Falk as Norm
• John Flaus as Wilbur
• Damien Garvey as Stan
• Eddie Baroo as Tow Truck Driver
• Cameron Ryan as Police Officer
• Vico Thai as Lester
• Rhys Muldoon as Rod Pringle
• Martin Sacks as Steven Levesque
• Marta Dusseldorp as Linda Hillier
• Susan Yagnik as Bank Woman
• Peter Berzanskis as Terry
• Heidi Valkenburg as Ricky's Blonde
• Christopher Castles as Bookie
• Barry Mitchell as Bookie
• Vadim Glowna as Charlie Taub
• Shane Jacobson as Barry Tregear
• Kate Atkinson as Simone Bendtsen
• Sonia Bantos as Madame Zolta
• Brooke Harman as Transquik Receptionist
• Bernadette Schwerdt as Transquik Lawyer
• Damian de Montemas as Transquik Security Guard
• Salvatore Galofaro as Transquik Security Guard
• Diana Glenn as Lyall Cronin
• Alexandra Schepisi as Meryl Canetti
• Georgia Steele as Canetti Daughter
• Teegan Natoli as Canetti Daughter
• Anton Berezin as Ray
• DarcyPattison-Voumard as Graffiti Kid
• Yvonne Fix as Post Officer Customer
• Maurice Tornello as Plusone.com Guy
• Daniela Farinacci as Glenda Painter
• Cedric Williamson as Attorney General
• Siros Niaros as Stunt Performer
• Rick Tonna as Stunt Performer
• Kent Clifton-Bligh as Stunt Performer
• Chris Weir as Stunt Performer