Rating:  

Porchlight Films, Screen Australia, and Sony Pictures Classics.

Written by: David Michôd.

The most nominated and awarded film in Australian film history, “Animal Kingdom” is a captivating, if not all that insightful, look at an Australian crime family falling apart at the seams. Supporters have compared it to the best of the plentiful crime movie genre and while technically well made and visually accomplished, I simply wanted more connection and emotion, not just visceral shock and surprise.

The opening moments provide such an example of the shocking moments director and writer David Michôd hits you with. 17-year old Joshua (newcomer James Frecheville) sits with his mother watching an Australian version of “Deal or No Deal” and his mother appears to have fallen asleep next to him. However, behind him in the living room window, paramedics arrive and we learn that Joshua is sitting next to his mother who has overdosed again. His emotionless reaction tells us everything we need to know about Joshua’s demeanor and view of the world. He is an unformed mass, jaded, largely indifferent but open to influence whether he recognizes it or not.

Joshua’s matter-of-fact manner with informing his grandmother (Oscar nominated Jacki Weaver) of her daughter’s demise has a chilling coldness to it. Soon thereafter Joshua is picked up by his grandmother, Janine, nicknamed ‘Smurf’, and goes off to live with her and her family. Joshua and Janine’s family consists of a band of bank robbers and drug dealers who carry a storied reputation in their native Melbourne. As Joshua arrives, the Cody family are on the precipice of something big coming down; they can feel it but they are unsure of what it actually is. Cops sit outside one son’s house looking for another family member to stroll by. Another son rests in a constant drug-infused state of paranoia but goes along with any plan put in motion. The house is in a constant state of unease and Joshua says little and takes it all in like a sponge.

Centering Joshua to some degree is his secondary school girlfriend, Nicky (Laurel Wheelwright). When a close family friend of the Codys gets gunned down in a heist gone bad, Nicky convinces her parents to take Joshua in, a decision which ultimately leads to tragic consequences.

Once the Codys lose their partner-in-crime, things snowball wildly out of control and soon Janine, at first seemingly aloof and appearing to try and hold things as close to a sense of normalcy as she can, is shown to be much more entrenched in the criminal workings of the family than Joshua could have ever known or expected. Complications arise when a savvy and smart Detective, Leckie (Guy Pearce), catches wind of Joshua and revisits the trail of crimes the Codys have committed through the years. Leckie is determined to bust up the Cody crime family once and for all and sees Joshua as the catalyst to bringing them down. Joshua’s familial loyalty and inherent desire to do the right thing become a internal tug of war that ultimately reaches a breaking point.

“Animal Kingdom” tells this story very well and David Michôd’s debut is a strong achievement. The sense that bad things could happen at any moment feel tangible and real. The performances, including those of Weaver, Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn, as the psychotic and depraved older son Pope, and James Frecheville, in his feature film debut, are memorable and carry an organic and rich realism. Michôd knows what he wants to do with these characters and for much of the film delivers an intense view of these happenings through the eyes of Joshua.

And yet with all that “Animal Kingdom” does well, it can’t finish strong at the finish line. When another shocking and surprising moment ends the film and the final credits begin, I was surprised at how abruptly I shrugged my shoulders and mentally moved on. Michôd’s screenplay in these final moments lead to decisions made which seem almost in contrast with everything that came before it. The detached emotional connection I realized I had for these characters led to me to be interested in what was happening in the moment. Despite my even being startled at times, I never truly engaged with the Codys, Detective Leckie, or anyone else in the film. And as a result, despite some cleverly constructed twists and turns and sudden jolts, the disconnect results in a film ultimately muted and off in the distance.

Although Michôd may not bind things together on an emotional level, he is a talented and accomplished filmmaker and in totality, “Animal Kingdom” is an impressive first feature. It may lack the elements that more accomplished crime films of the past have delivered, but this is a young filmmaker with unique vision, who has shown an adept understanding of tone, pacing, and the skill it takes in telling a compelling story. If we could have felt more, “Animal Kingdom” could have been a truly epic success.

Should I See It?

YES

The tension and mood are effective and the overall sense of dread looming over the Cody family makes this a rather engrossing watch.

Fans of crime films will like this unique take on a tried and true formula.

Jacki Weaver’s Oscar-nominated performance doesn’t hit its stride until the last 40 minutes or so. Her scene with a crooked cop, for example, is chilling and when coupled with the strong debut by James Frecheville, this is an extremely well-acted thriller.

Those who dislike crime films or have no interest in them whatsoever will likewise care not one bit about this film, no matter if it was an Oscar-nominated film or not.

Bad people do some pretty bad things and not all of the sympathetic characters survive. The film’s violence is often sudden and surprising.

The lack of emotional connection to these characters may make the film too off-putting and uninteresting.