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Animal Kingdom, Movie

Animal Kingdom 2010

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Excellent Australian crime-drama about a violent Melbourne family imploding in the iron grip of its pint-sized matriarch. Winner of Grand Jury Prize winner (World Cinema, Drama) at Sundance Film Festival 2010. More

"Armed robber Pope Cody (Ben Mendelsohn) is in hiding, on the run from a gang of renegade detectives who want him dead. His business partner and best friend, Barry ‘Baz’ Brown (Joel Endgerton), wants out of the game, recognising that their days of old-school banditry are all but over. Pope’s younger brother, the speed-addicted and volatile Craig Cody (Sullivan Stapleton), is making a fortune in the illicit substances trade – the true cash cow of the modern criminal fraternity. Into this criminal world arrives their nephew, Joshua ‘J’ Cody (James Frecheville). Following the death of his mother, J finds himself living with his hitherto estranged family, under the watchful eye of his doting grandmother, Smurf (Jacki Weaver), mother to the Cody boys. J quickly comes to believe that he is a player but, as he soon discovers, this world is far more menacing than he could ever imagine..." (Official Synopsis) Hide

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Flicks.co.nz Review

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Andrew Hedley Flicks Writer

As the opening credits of Animal Kingdom play, sombre music sets the scene for a Greek tragedy of betrayal and retribution. David Michod’s debut feature is a gripping crime-drama, showcasing the best work Australian filmmaking talent has to offer and finding new riches to mine in a genre well trodden across the ditch.

Melbourne crime stories are nothing new, but by choosing to focus on the ‘who’, rather than the ‘what’, or the ‘why’, Michod takes a fresh approach. Everything revolves around this family of dysfunctional characters, each one varying in their loyalty to a life of crime and thus contributing to a simmering tension between themselves. Newbie James Frecheville is a terrifically blank, open-mouthed slate, proving hard to peg, not just for the audience, but for his increasingly suspicious extended family as well.

Michod, together with cinematographer Adam Arkapaw, use the screen as a large canvas to replicate the feel of a hot, languid, Melbourne summer. The pace is relaxed, but the storyline slowly winds tighter and tighter, ratcheting up the levels of tension to Hitchcockian levels. His filmic references aren’t hard to spot – Scorsese’s bold visual poetry and juxtapositions of popular music with moments of high drama are evident.

Such comparisons for an new name present Michod with a challenge for a follow-up, but his assured debut has earned them. This is a cracking story with fascinating characters, an engrossing tale of a family’s fall.

The People's Reviews

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10 ratings and 10 reviews

All reviews (10)

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Highlight

Patricia Nobody (?)

The story of a family embedded in drugs, violence, and crime, as told through the eyes of Josh, a 17-year-old brought closer into the family after his mother's overdose. Probably my favourite film of the Film Festival. A really amazing piece of cinema. Certain moments will come out of the blue and will definitely shock. Worth seeing.

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More than a Murderous Must-See

VanitaMarie Nobody (?)

A highlight from the Film Festival, this is the best crime thriller since No Country for Old men. You will kick yourself for not watching this.The cast is immaculate in their portrayal of a family too far gone. Watch out for the comedy too, it will catch you unaware.

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Very Well Crafted, Slightly Derivative, But Mostly Pitch Perfect

The Watcher Nobody (?)

15 minutes into this movie i stopped looking for a character i might like and just sat back and enjoyed the pitch perfect filmmaking. If you've seen great Aussie flick THE BOYS, and some of the best eps of UNDERBELLY you'll notice a few similarities, but on the whole this is an original and powerful crime drama about a family spinning apart. The director is not shy of a slow-mo scene of characters walking, or the ironic use of 70's/80's music. Then again, he's also not shy of some terrific wide-screen framing, and crafting some genuinely powerful performances. It's a film that dawdles at times, it has pacing issues, it's certainly not the feel good film of the year. Yet it is a truly personal vision expertly executed. You get the real sense that no compromises have been made. That after 10 years of development he got the script he wanted, and the cast he needed, and the photographer who got it, and the editor that went with him. the result is the best Aussie crime film since, well, THE BOYS. But this one has the craft and quality of script and performance that LANTANA had. Well done. It's a recommend. It's certainly not a relaxing laugh riot, it's challenging, hard-boiled crime drama, and if this is your cup of tea, then you'll be in a kind of heaven...

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Not that great

ordel Nobody (?)

This movie was not great.
It was more suited to watching at home on TV than the cinema. Sorry but I felt it just really lacked something.

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Another great Aussie crime story

Weds_Loafers Flicks Superstar (?)

A riveting look at the inner workings of a Melbourne crime family in freefall as they battle with the local cops. The story follows the introduction of a 17-year-old relative into the family following the death of his mother through a heroin overdose. Bloody - yes, but much more focused on the interactions within the family than the blood and gore. 3.5 stars.

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Brooding, dark and intense

Allo2JasonIsaacs A-Lister (?)

A superbly acted slow-building thriller that dispenses with the melodramatic gangster stereotype and delivers a harrowing and ominous portrait of the underbelly of human nature. Remarkable performances all round. An epic tragedy that has delivered one of the best films of the past twelve months.

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If your a fan of underbelly

munchkin Flicks Superstar (?)

Great aussie crime drama brilliant acting well told and sickening story at times but if you loved the underbelly tv series then you will most likely love this

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Press Reviews

Christchurch Press (James Croot)

A primal, pulsating story of one family heading over the edge. Full review.

Empire (Australia)

Outstanding. Never before has a tale of crime and punishment been so exquisitely handled by one of our own. This is a towering achievement. Full review.

Hollywood Reporter

A naturalistic drama rich in psychology and attention to details. There's no glamour here, but one false move by anyone can result in death, so tension fills nearly every scene. Full review.

Los Angeles Times

Faultlessly acted by top Australian talent, including Guy Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn and Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom marries heightened emotionality with cool contemporary style. Full review.

New York Times

The film's depiction of the raw fear lurking below the brothers' braggadocio is the most pronounced emotion in a movie whose focus on the personalities of its criminals suggests an Australian answer to "Goodfellas," minus the wise-guy humor. Full review.

Rolling Stone (USA)

Writer-director David Michôd catches you in a vise and squeezes - hard. Full review.