Animal Kingdom

I just saw this film earlier today and I really enjoyed it thoroughly. It finally released in D.C. last week. The story seems fairly ho-hum when you read the plot synopsis but it's comes off much deeper and darker in the actual film, with the performances and direction really elevating the material. James Frecheville and Ben Mendolsohn are the major stars of the film, with them receiving the majority of screen time. Mendolsohn in particular, had my favorite performance of the ensemble. But that said, the rest of the cast have a major presence too, including Guy Pearce and Jacki Weaver. The film runs at a steady pace with no lulls within. The story is fascinating in witnessing this family struggle to stay together, in what's essentially their twilight years of being in power, which is a key fact in the story. Frecheville's "J" is the center of the film as we see his entrance into the inner circle of this destructive family. Some criticized his Frecheville's performance as too dry dull but his character is meant to be dry and a bit dull. He's the young, immature kid walking into a hornet's nest. His emotions are still developing and remains confused at a number of moments when he's granted a moment of power or witnesses an act, and similarly, when his family pulls away a desire of his. His emotions are key to the film and slowly develop together by the time of the film's ending. I will not comment much more on the story for the sake of spoilers but it really is a great character drama to witness. The shock moments of the film are few and far between but when they occur, they pack a real punch. The more I think about the film, the more I realize how great it really is.