Animal Kingdom

"You've done some bad things, sweetie."

A 2010 Australian crime drama, Animal has taken its sweet time getting to these shores but it turns out to be more than worth the wait.  David Michod has created a sophisticated, striking and genuinely tense film following the Cody family through the eyes of newly initiated member, J.  Thrown in with this close-knit collection of criminals and his optimistic, all-knowing Grandmother, J's life suddenly sinks to the underworld.
The film is claustrophobic - even the excellent Antony Partos score makes you feel as though you are underwater - and shocking in a brilliant and brave way, without the need for graphic and gratuitous violence.  This is not an angry crime film, thundering its way through the script at a terrific volume; it is quiet, subtle and really gets under your skin.  There is a constant sense of foreboding and the lengthy silences, use of slow-motion and generous, lugubrious pacing, means that it is a film which sits in the pit of your stomach and will settle there for quite a while after the final frame.

The cast deliver strong performances across the board but the stand out is Ben Mendelsohn.  His fugitive 'Pope' is underplayed to the point of slacker boredom yet he is one of the most menacing characters you are likely to meet this year.  An unremittingly emotionally violent man, 'Pope' is the kind of guy you would avoid even at his friendliest.  Yet his menace always lies just beneath the surface and Mendelsohn plays it to perfection.
Newcomer James Frecheville handles the central role with great control.  His J is described by Michod as 'our tour guide' and his place on the edge of the family unit is played with stillness - as though making himself as small as possible will keep him out of his uncle's way.  Jacki Weaver also excels as the matriarch of this unpalatable family.  A woman with Lady Macbeth tendencies, Weaver is bright, sunny and terrifying all at the same time.

Animal Kingdom hits the ground running with its first shot and though it is sedate and stately in its pacing, it is gripping, humorous and moving; a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll - 9/10