Brilliant Australian Cinema - Animal Kingdom
We recently downloaded Animal Kingdom on iTunes. Knowing nothing about the movie, except for critical accolades for performances by its cast, I approached this Australia masterwork with both detached curiosity and unease.
As unsettling as watching Season1 of The Sopranos, I wasn't sure immediately after viewing whether this was actually a good movie or not. All I knew was that I was set deeply on edge by the incredibly subtle script and performances. (I think there should be a sub-genre for this kind of film: Creepy Crime.)
It is not immediately obvious just how disturbed the Cody family is, nor to what extend Janine "Grandma Smurf" Cody (Jacki Weaver) is the lioness stopping at nothing to protect her pride. From the nearly-surreal outset of the film, where Josh (James Frecheville), seated beside his dead mother, calmly makes the call to police while watching a game show on television, we are set completely and utterly adrift, and are almost forced to somehow emotionally fend for ourselves in this masterfully-directed cinematic assault.
We never actually see just how bad the Cody family is. Oh, we have a few black-and-white stills during the opening credit to establish they are a close-knit family of armed bank robbers, but we never witness all the horror they have created. We don't need to. Andrew "Pope" Cody (Ben Mendelsohn) is quite capable of doing this within one minute of film time. A completely unassuming man to look at, Pope is clearly psychopathic.
But really, the show belongs to the no less chilling performance of Jackie Weaver. Quitely, lovingly caring for her boys, Janine Cody is the kind matron who just wants the best for her family.
This is a haunting, distrubing film. Did I like watching it? Not really. Would I recommend it? Of course I would. It's brilliant.
"Come give us a kiss."
As unsettling as watching Season1 of The Sopranos, I wasn't sure immediately after viewing whether this was actually a good movie or not. All I knew was that I was set deeply on edge by the incredibly subtle script and performances. (I think there should be a sub-genre for this kind of film: Creepy Crime.)
It is not immediately obvious just how disturbed the Cody family is, nor to what extend Janine "Grandma Smurf" Cody (Jacki Weaver) is the lioness stopping at nothing to protect her pride. From the nearly-surreal outset of the film, where Josh (James Frecheville), seated beside his dead mother, calmly makes the call to police while watching a game show on television, we are set completely and utterly adrift, and are almost forced to somehow emotionally fend for ourselves in this masterfully-directed cinematic assault.
We never actually see just how bad the Cody family is. Oh, we have a few black-and-white stills during the opening credit to establish they are a close-knit family of armed bank robbers, but we never witness all the horror they have created. We don't need to. Andrew "Pope" Cody (Ben Mendelsohn) is quite capable of doing this within one minute of film time. A completely unassuming man to look at, Pope is clearly psychopathic.
But really, the show belongs to the no less chilling performance of Jackie Weaver. Quitely, lovingly caring for her boys, Janine Cody is the kind matron who just wants the best for her family.
This is a haunting, distrubing film. Did I like watching it? Not really. Would I recommend it? Of course I would. It's brilliant.
"Come give us a kiss."
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