Wildlife movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Wildlife

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

Wildlife is a coming-of-age film that is loosely based on the novel by Richard Ford, although it was made without the author’s endorsement. This is Paul Dano’s directorial debut. He’s certainly off to a great start.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Some profanity
Parents can learn some lessons about how to be a terrible, selfish parent.
A married person has an affair, although you only see kissing. The affair is implied as you see a bed and clothing on the floor. Thank you. I don’t need to see flesh and all that to understand what’s going on in movies. In fact, I prefer it. It seems more artistic to NOT show everything.
Children will mostly be bored or, if they watch this film, they could be disturbed by the yelling, bad choices, and watching a family fall apart in front of their eyes.

THEMES:

Family
Trust and betrayal
Sacrifice, service, and selfishness

THINGS I LIKED:

Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the great actors in Hollywood today. I really love watching his work. He actually produced the film.
Cary Mulligan is such a lovely and talented artist. I have never seen her in a role like this before. Her American accent is spot on, but the way she eats with her upside-down fork is a giveaway of her British upbringing. She and Jake Gyllenhaal co-starred in Brothers in 2009.
Great camera work by Diego Garcia with such an interesting perspective.
Ed Oxenbould has a bright future in acting. He can say so much with his face.
The movie was filmed in Montana and Oklahoma.
I like the symbolism of the wildfire that is raging near the town’s border, like the family that is on the edge of disaster. I also like that the boy works at a photography studio since director/co-writer Paul Dano explained that the movie is supposed to be a portrait of family life.
The mom talks about how the trees that survive a wildfire are called “the standing dead.” Now, ask yourself, which one of the three main characters is the “standing dead” after the family is destroyed.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Some people won’t like the slow burn and will call the film boring.
I felt so bad for the son who had to watch his parents implode.
This is one of those kinds of movies that can make you feel worse after having watched it. We usually go to the movie theater to escape our lives. For some, this movie might duplicate what they’re struggling with in their own homes. Going to the movie theater won’t be a respite from the cares of their world. Just sayin. That being said, the movie is really well done, realistic, and heartbreaking.

INTERESTING LINES:

“Ask them something personal. Works like a charm. People love to talk about themselves.” – Jerry Brinson (Jake Gyllenhaal)
“I thought it was that easy. There’s probably something wrong in that.” – Jerry
“You can’t keep running every time something doesn’t go your way.” – Jeanette Brinson (Carey Mulligan)
“Tomorrow, something will happen to make things feel different.” – Jeanette
“No use feeling sorry for yourselves.” – Jeanette
“You’re wasting your life standing there staring at me, Son.” – Jeanette
“It’s probably nice to know your parents were not once your parents.” – Jeanette
“I feel like I need to wake up, but I don’t know what from or to.” – Jeanette
“You don’t get anywhere if you don’t try.” – Warren Miller (Bill Camp)