Based on peter carey's booker prize winning novel, justin kurzel's true history of the kelly gang shatters the mythology surrounding ned kelly to reveal the essence behind the life of the notorious icon.hero to some, outlaw to others, kelly played by george mackay throws a long shadow over a specific period of australian history. Spanning his life from his younger years to the time leading up to his death, the film explores the story behind this legendary figure.nurtured by the notorious bushranger harry power russell crowe and fuelled by the unfair arrest of his mother essie davis, kelly recruits a wild bunch of warriors to plot a campaign of anarchy and rebellion that will grip the entire country. Youth and tragedy collide in the kelly gang, and at the beating heart of this tale is the fractured and powerful love story between a mother and son.