Australia has made another worthy contribution to cinema with the new film, Animal Kingdom, which is the first film written and directed by David Michôd, a member of the film collective Blue Tongue Films. It’s hard to find a movie to be excited about in the past few years, what with all the comic book adaptations, video game movies, endless sequels to movies that never needed to be made in the first place, and big screen versions of tv shows that you didn’t care about when you saw them for free. It’s pleasantly different to have a movie that’s actually about real people and doesn’t star the same 20 personalities who are in every studio movie that gets released. You mean to tell me that there are other actors in the world besides Michael Cera? It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?
I heard about this film shortly after the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Jury Prize, and watched the trailer. It gave me the chills, especially the use of what’s normally thought of as a romantic song, Air Supply’s “All Out of Love”, in the most disturbing way possible. Extra points go to the film maker for having the balls to do it and use it well.
With that, the film instantly went on my must see list. I had no idea who/what/where other than that and I intentionally kept myself innocent of the details of the story to keep the movie experience as pure as I could. Yes, I was that interested.
Animal Kingdom was released on Friday, August 13 in New York and Los Angeles in an extremely small release pattern. It’s so small that there are only two theaters in Los Angeles currently showing the film and the same number in New York City. Yes, I actually took the time to look that up. I assume that in the coming weeks the film will open in other cities, but I really don’t know how “wide” of a release it will get. It’s not a film produced by one of the big American studios and is being distributed by Sony Classics. But I would urge you strongly, if you are a fan of powerful film making, to do whatever you can to see it.
In LA, the movie is playing at the ArcLight Cinema in Hollywood and the AMC 15 in Century City and in New York, the Landmark Sunshine Theater and the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. Even though I despise the ArcLight, with its outrageous ticket prices and “cooler than thou” vibe, I went. I will take a moment to tell you the one extremely irritating thing that happened while at the ArcLight that is relevant to this review. While waiting for the movie to start, there was some nonsense where an uninformed female usher came out to announce the film (and brag about how the excellent sound/film quality would be monitored by other usher pinheads during the film) and did so in a way that made my blood boil. She clearly had not the slightest clue what the movie was about or who was even in it. While I would expect that the general public would not know, she’s an usher at the flag ship theater of the (supposed) Rolls Royce of cinema in Los Angeles. Does management actually require the person making this rote announcement to read something about the damn film? This is what she said:
Welcome to the ArcLight Theater’s showing of the film, Animal Kingdom, starring Guy Pearce *embarrassed silence* and a bunch of other people.
Dear ArcLight Cinemas, are you fucking kidding me? Would it have killed you to print out a fact sheet for your employees so they don’t insult the film that they are screening and the hard work of all involved? How much indignity must a non-mainstream film be asked to put up with, so that even the walking voids of information known as ArcLight employees get to show their contempt through their apathetic recitations? Is this because it’s not the latest from the flavor of the month? I mean, thanks for showing it so hipsters might get confused and inadvertently wander in, but really, was this the work of a company that loves film or someone who’s putting on a front to charge premium prices? Gee, I wonder.
But back to the review: after watching the trailer, I expected certain things, but while watching the movie I was happy to note that the trailer had showed me key scenes, without giving away everything, and that I had been somewhat misdirected by it. The movie opens with a scene that was completely unexpected as it unravels. That’s what this film does which is so interesting. The scenes spill out and take their own course and throw you curve balls frequently. There are moment of high tension where nothing is specifically happening, but the threat of violence is always present. Sometimes the scene will explode with rage or laughter, but you’re never sure what it is you will be hit in the face with next. The story is structured in a way where no one is safe, no one can be trusted, and anything could happen. I was surprised by Animal Kingdom; that doesn’t happen often. This is a testimony of the skill and commitment of the writer/director and the actors. Gunshots ring out with real danger and all of the Hollywood cliches of the gangster drama are turned inside out. I can’t say this is a pleasant film, at times it’s hard to watch, but that’s because it is populated by people who suffer and die, not just cardboard cut-outs leaping through the air. When someone dies in Animal Kingdom, it matters.
Ben Mendelson plays Pope with a muddled, jokey, desperate air. When you see him stare into space, you see that there is something profoundly wrong with this sad eyed man. Jacki Weaver as Grandma Smurf is a chipper yet truly evil woman; who treats her sons as her personal army, her money making thugs, and maintains her control of them with her own egotistical and inappropriate brand of motherly affection. James Frechette, in his first film role, as the newcomer J or Joshua, who seems like a mouth breathing lunkhead with no emotions, but has more to him than you would expect. Joel Edgerton as Barry is the most clearheaded and well adjusted brother who still takes no shit but contains his violence to his work. Sullivan Stapleton as Craig is a drug addled, tattooed, paranoid mess of a fighting man. Luke Ford as Darren is a distressed and browbeaten lowest ranking member of the gang who is kicked and mocked accordingly. Guy Pearce, in a supporting role, plays a family man of a detective, Sgt. Leckie, who tries to do the right thing in a hurricane of corruption, but has lost enough of his faith to shameless manipulate others whenever he has to, but still is the only half decent role model for J. The performances of the entire cast, right down to the smallest bit part, are believable and real.
In this film, nothing is wasted. It’s lean and spare and doesn’t have time for mindless flash. Some people grasp at decency and a normal life, but hardly anyone is clean, not even the pretty girlfriend of J who seems to wear a halo even while sleeping. Some of them don’t even understand what decency is and seem content to burrow deeper into darkness because for them, there is nothing else. The cops are some of the worst excuses for humanity of everyone involved, as is frequently the case in real life. The film alternately changes from dark elegant indoor menace to an oddly sterile blast of light and color when outdoors. Some of the scenes are framed as set pieces that are as beautiful as paintings. The music choices are uniformly well done and non intrusive but meaningful.
If you are sick of mainstream movies with no substance, tired plots, and routine gimmickry, now’s the time to vote with your wallet. Support independent cinema by seeing the movie that isn’t easy to watch but will give you something back for your time.
Update: Animal Kingdom is now the movie with the highest per screen average in the United States, with only four theaters showing the film, grossed $52,500 dollars, averaging $13,125.00 per screen according to Indie Wire compared with the thousands of screens that movies like The Expendables, Eat Pray Love and Scott Pilgrim Vs The World had this weekend. It’s mighty for a film with virtually no theaters and no advertising.
Well done.
And yes, here’s the Axl rating, because yes, Axl watches movies too.
