On Christmas evening Charlie is unexpectedly visited by Jasper Jones, an outcast in Corrigan due to his Aboriginal heritage and rebellious lifestyle.

Here Charlie is horrified to find the dead body of a young girl, Jasper's girlfriend Laura Wishart, battered and hanging from a tree.

Jasper, aware that he is likely to be blamed for Laura's murder, convinces Charlie that they should hide the body, so they throw it into a nearby pond, weighted by a large rock.

Eventually fortune goes his way, and he finds himself batting in a game against a rival town, watched by Charlie, who has befriended Eliza, Laura Wishart's younger sister.

It is revealed that Charlie's mother, increasingly disillusioned with life in Corrigan and her marriage, is having an affair with the police sergeant involved with the investigation into Laura's disappearance.

Johnson of ABC Radio gave a positive review, calling the film "engrossing, surprising and moving, and obviously made with great care and love."

Sarah Ward of Playground also gave a positive review, commenting "There's always room for a smart, thoughtful and engaging take on a well-worn premise, and Bran Nue Dae director Rachel Perkins delivers just that" Alex Doenau of Trespass described the film as "well scripted, shot, and acted, there's very little not to recommend it."

Jim Schembri of 3AW gave a negative review, describing the story as "pitted with plotholes of implausibility that continually take you out of the picture, robbing the film almost entirely of tension."

Jake Wilson of The Age gave a mixed review, writing "It's hard to say if there is a centre to a narrative that jumps from one subplot to another in the manner of a soap opera."