or Goodfellas
, there's a certain regalness to their untouchable life of excess and violence, passed on from generation to generation. Whoever said crime doesn't pay hasn't been watching enough flicks. Not so in Australia, where the familial line of crooks and thieves is often portrayed as tattered, frayed, and not at all glamourous, starting back in 2005 with The Proposition
, and continuing now with David Michaud's fantastic, awe-inspiring Animal Kingdom.What Michaud has done is take what we all know and love about those epic criminal empires, and bring them down to the street level so low that the casual way in which everybody approaches violence is even more shocking. The story centers around "J" Cody, a quiet and unassuming boy living with his drug addicted mom. When she overdoses, he's sent to live with his grandmother, Janine(Jacki Weaver). She appears to be the smiling, protective grandmother who bakes apple pies and treats all her sons like princes. Well, in fact she is, but also behind that wide grin lies the soul of a psychopath. Jacki is a manipulative, horrific monster, who whispers the threat of violence all too easily.
Her sons are all players in the Melbourne underworld, focusing on violence robbery and drug dealing. Their leader is the seemingly weak and callow Pope, who's given to bursts of stomach turning depravity and brutality at a moment's notice. Barry, the level-headed brother wants to move on out of the crime game and hopefully bring his other two brothers with him. The cops have a different idea. They want their cut of the Cody profits, and if they don't get it they aren't afraid to bring the hammer down on them all.
J finds himself sucked into their world. Without anywhere else to go he has little choice. When one of their own is viciously murdered, in a jolting scene that comes out of nowhere, the Codys are out for revenge. When they get it, J finds himself in the murky position of being a liability. It doesn't help that one of the few good cops(Guy Pearce) is pushing hard for J to turn witness. J, along with his innocent girlfriend, are thrust into the middle of a savage tug of war, and making the wrong decision could prove fatal.
The strength of Animal Kingdom is in the tense, taut script by Michod. The world he creates for the Codys is so normal on it's face. If you were their neighbor, you'd swear they were like any other family on the block. And yet, their lives are full of random acts of bloodshed, and cops lurking around every corner. There's barely a relaxing moment for anybody in their household. It's truly a crime empire on it's last legs.
As their life begins to crumble, Janine begins to emerge as the true power behind their activities. Jacki Weaver's performance is similar in a way to that of Kim Hye-Ja in the Korean film, Mother, earlier in this year. Only pushed to the nth degree. Both characters are fiercely protective of their children, and would do anything, even skirt or outbreak break the law for them. Only Weaver's performance is devastating in the way she can transform on a dime. She's the most terrifying when at her nicest, like she's always got a dagger hiding behind her back, ready to stab you with it.
Animal Kingdom is dangerously bleak, and features one of the most awful deaths I've seen all year. Without giving it away, all I'll say is that you see it coming a mile away, and you'll want to dive through the screen to make sure it doesn't happen. It makes it all the more uncomfortable as you watch it slowly unfold, unable to turn away. You'll feel that way a lot while watching this film, unable to look away. Animal Kingdom is a bold, gritty masterpiece, and one of the best flicks of the year. Do yourself a favor and make Animal Kingdom your top choice at the theater this weekend.
