Review #190: 'Animal Kingdom' (2010)

When 17-year old J's (James Frecheville) mother dies from an overdose of heroin, he contacts his grandmother Janine 'Smurf' Cody (Jacki Weaver) who he's rarely seen and moves in with her. She lives there with her three violent sons, Craig (Sullivan Stapleton), Darren (Luke Ford), and Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), who are part of a large Melbourne crime family. When Pope's best friend is shot dead by police at point blank range, the three brothers decide to take revenge and murder a couple of police officers. Things soon spiral out of control, and J is unwittingly dragged into a war between the brothers and the police.

If there was one word to describe this film, it would be brutal. Not in the overly-violent, exploitative way, but in the way that the film can deliver a sudden burst of violence that is both realistic and unpleasant. This is a seriously tough drama. Where most films become more exciting when action starts, Animal Kingdom just gets darker and more tense. And that is where its power lies. The film draws you in and leaves you waiting at the end of your nerve while you wait to see what happens to these basically nasty characters next. Yet even when you're half-expecting something to happen, it still manages to hit you with a shotgun blast that comes out of nowhere.

The main strength of the film is the stellar acting. Jacki Weaver received an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of a woman that is as powerful using her mouth and brain as her sons are with their guns and intimidation, and she is brilliant in the role. Relative newcomer Frecheville brilliantly underplays his role as a quiet teenager suddenly drawn into a world of violence and danger, and really comes into his own two-thirds into the film. But the obvious stand-out is Ben Mendelsohn as the terrifying Pope. At first glance, he appears to be a non-threatening, slightly weird looking middle aged man. But those eyes are filled with evil and mental instability. This is a 'bad guy' who is genuinely psychopathic, and is more threatening when he's being nice to you. He is reckless, evil and conniving. In most scenes, you don't know if he's genuinely being nice or waiting to strangle a character. His performance is simply stunning.

I'm very disappointed that this film hasn't been raved about more. Sure, it's critically-acclaimed, but it should be seen by more people. I've never felt a film has been so criminally underrated since 2005's outstanding The Proposition (coincidentally also an Australian film starring Guy Pearce). This film stayed with me for long after the credits rolled. Even though this world of drug-dealing and casual violence seemed alien to me, the story of isolation and fear can be felt by everyone. Highly recommended.


Directed by: David Michôd
Starring: James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, Jacki Weaver
Country: Australia

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie