Movie Summary of Animal Kingdom by Michael The Moviegoer
ANIMAL KINGDOM = ***
“Bark And Bite”
I had heard David Michod’s “Animal Kingdom” was a gripping film. So I kept waiting for that vice-like hold. The first hour was good, but I couldn’t understand what all the festival fuss was about. Then came hour #2 and the film had me in a tight grip and didn’t let go until the final frame.
What “Animal Kingdom” slowly and patiently becomes is a nerve-rattling urban crime drama. Set in Melbourne, Australia with a cast that’s mostly unknown to American audiences, this is the saga of a teenage boy who is suddenly orphaned when his mother overdoses. He is taken in by a distant relative who becomes his new mom. She is played by Jacki Weaver in a role that deserves serious awards attention. She is the coldest baddie since Javier Bardem in “No Country For Old Men”.
Perhaps the most recognizable actor in this cast is Guy Pearce who plays a pivotal and cruicial role in this boy’s life as a law-enforcement officer using the boy to get a murder conviction against his uncles.
“Animal Kingdom” is raw and unflinching. The series of events will haunt you long after it’s over.
DVD Double Feature:
Guy Pearce’s character in this movie reminded me of his role in 1997’s “L.A. Confidential”. Curtis Hanson’s film about Los Angeles police corruption in the 1950s also starred Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe, and won an Oscar for Kim Basinger.
Michael The Moviegoer
