Animal Kingdom

8.8/10 Dropps

Genre: Drama, Art House & International
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hr. 52 min.

In Theaters: Aug 13, 2010 Limited (Currently playing in most cities)
Box Office: $0.9M
Directed By: David Michôd
Written By: David Michôd

More often than not when one thinks about Australia they rarely ever think of a
budding film industry. That could quickly be changing with the pair of Australian
films being released in the coming weeks in the states. ANIMAL KINGDOM is the first
up to be reviewed (Check back Monday for part two of Australian film review week.)

ANIMAL KINGDOM follows the life of the sheltered, and slightly disconnected,
teenage Joshua “Jay” Cody (James Frecheville) after his mother dies of a self-induced
heroin overdoes. Jay has been sheltered from his mother’s side of the family since
he was a child, but after his mothers death he has no choice to but look to his
Grandmother, Janine “Smurf” Cody (Jacki Weaver), for help. Becoming a member
of his mother’s family means diving into a life among bank robbers, drug dealers,
and the mentally unstable. When a crime of the Aussie police takes place against the
Cody family, a standoff between the police and the Cody’s finds Jay stuck between
what is right, and the only family he has left.

ANIMAL KINGDOM, the screenwriting and directorial debut of David Michod, sets
him as an up-and-coming figure in the Australian film world. ANIMAL KINGDOM
slowly builds upon various themes of classic crime drama while combining notions
of a coming-of-age tale. Michod does a fantastic job of creating an eerie tone that
flows throughout the entire film, allowing the viewer to connect while keeping them
guessing.

With mostly unknowns (at least in the states) filling the lead rolls, with the
exception of Guy Pearce (Memento, Rules of Engagement, The Hurt Locker), Michod
does a fantastic job of capturing truly powerful performances from his actors. Jay,
played by James Frechville, is a disconnected and odd young narrator, shinning in
his portrayal of a youth attempting to find a place within his own family. Detective
Leckie (Guy Pearce) is a subtle yet powerful role, which is executed beautifully by
Pearce. The standout performance of ANIMAL KINGDOM comes from Jacki Weaver
in her Tour de Force portrayal of Janine “Smurf” Cody. Weaver creates a character
so chilling in her seemingly effortless portrayal that sticks with you long after the
film has ended.

This chilling coming-of-age story riddled with violence and hellish choices creates a
strong and gripping film from beginning to end. ANIMAL KINGDOM is a beautifully
acted and stunningly effective directorial debut, another gem in the already
surprisingly strong foreign film collection of 2010.

-Hunter Freiburg