Wildlife

(spoiler free)

Based on Robert Ford’s 1990 novel of the same name, ‘Wildlife’ tells the story of a young family who have recently moved to Great Falls in Montana. The parents, Jeanette & Jerry Brinson are played by Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal with their on screen son, Joe being portrayed by Ed Oxenbould. The film marks the directorial debut for Paul Dano who also adapted the novel for the screen alongside his partner Zoe Kazan.

The film certainly looks and feels the part embodying its 1960s suburban American setting with care and precision. However, its appealing visual aesthetic can’t fully compensate for its somewhat lacking narrative. The story has a slow pace to it and only just manages to maintain the attention of its audience, this is largely a result of the impressive performances of the cast. Unlike the cast, the story fails to become engaging and ends up being rather unremarkable. The screenplay does feature some interesting symbolism and metaphors but in a similar vein to the visual style of the film this isn’t enough to progress the narrative into anything more than simply serviceable territory.

As already briefly mentioned above the cast are the saving grace of this film. Carey Mulligan plays a complex role as her character Jeanette goes from supportive spouse to desperate housewife in a matter of scenes. Mulligan is excellent at portraying this woman lost in her own marriage seemingly trying to make sense of her own actions as the audience does the same. On screen husband Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jerry, a man on the edge, bringing a tense unpredictability to his performance creating a great sense of drama whenever he’s on screen. It’s Ed Oxenbould’s character, teenager Joe who has the toughest time of it though. His character feels very much like a vessel for the audience to witness the bulk of this story. He’s superb at portraying this young man caught between the loyalties of both his parents whilst simultaneously navigating his own adolescence. These three main performers create a compelling ensemble which always makes the film watchable however if these roles had been left in less capable hands ‘Wildlife’ wouldn’t be worth the attention.

Paul Dano has crafted a competent directorial debut however his and Kazan’s writing could do with a more cinematic flair if they want to tell more memorable and engaging stories on the big screen. The narrative has the potential to develop into a fascinating family drama but it rarely ventures beyond the average only really excelling through the three central performances of its cast.

Written by Hamish Calvert

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Rating – 6/10

Question: What is your favourite Carey Mulligan film performance?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)

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