Nature or Nurture?

There's an old saying amongst actors... Never work with children, animals or Jacki Weaver. To see 'Animal Kingdom' is to know why. She shines in this film - a perfectly cast and beautifully acted role. She is supported on every side by wonderful actors, including Guy Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton and newcomer James Frecheville. It all makes for a intense couple of hours in the cinema.

I was particularly impressed by the opening sequence which, like the first battle scenes in 'Gladiator' not only gives a realistic impression of violence but also the sadness and waste of it. The music by Antony Partos was an integral part of this marvellous first glimpse and it put us in the picture without tedious expositions of the armed robberies that had formed the careers of the men you are about to meet.

There are clever cinematic tricks to emphasise the abrupt demise of some of the characters but above all there is no sense of the hyped up violent jitteriness which seems to fuel most crime family stories. This is a character study and a sobering one. I remember the murder of those two young policemen in South Yarra. In South Yarra of all places, the style capitol of Melbourne, it seemed as if a monster was stalking the streets. Unfortunately, this is no monster movie.

Look out for whatever writer/director David Michôd does next.