ANIMAL KINGDOM (eOne, 2010) D: David Michôd, w/ James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn. Rating: NNNNN DVD package: NNNN Rating: NNNNN
A unique story, sharp writing and strong performances make Animal Kingdom a perfect combination of tense crime thriller and character-rich family drama.
When 17-year-old Joshua Cody’s mother ODs on heroin, he goes to live in a Melbourne suburb with Smurf, the grandmother he barely knows. She has a loving, supportive relationship with her three criminal sons, two bank robbers and a dope dealer. The local cops are intent on gunning them down, but Detective Leckie (Guy Pearce) sees Joshua as the family’s weak link and sets to work on him. From there, the plot moves in ways that are both surprising and inevitable.
The characters are colourful, but the top-line Australian cast keep their performances down, building tension from the appearance of normality in abnormal situations. You need to watch Jacki Weaver’s Smurf closely to realize she’s not as oblivious as she pretends. Ben Mendelsohn, as Pope, her eldest and most disturbed son, contrives to deliver pathos even when he terrifies with his insistent interrogations. Newcomer James Frecheville, as Joshua, spends most of his time with his eyes lowered and mouth closed, but he leaves no doubt about the boy’s emotional responses.
Writer/director David Michôd’s visuals are likewise deceptively ordinary but convey disturbing emotional undercurrents. In his commentary and the 71-minute making-of doc, Michôd reveals a lot about decision-making and the experience of being a first-time filmmaker.
EXTRAS Commentary, making-of, cast and director interviews. Widescreen. English, French audio. English subtitles.
