Wildlife
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould, Jake Gyllenhaal
Directed by: Paul Dano
Rated: PG-13
"You know what they call trees in a forest fire? Fuel. You know what they call the trees left up when the fires go by? The standing dead."
Jeanette says these words to her son, Joe, with little emotion as they pass a wildfire that's raging through Montana. Although the statement indicates the horrors of a raging fire, the words also paint a clear picture of what's happening to Jeanette’s family. They've become the standing dead.
Wildlife tells the story of Joe, a teenage boy growing up in the 1960’s who sees the slow disintegration of his parents marriage. The film is a directorial debut for actor Paul Dano, who you may know from Little Miss Sunshine or There Will Be Blood. I must say, for a directorial debut, this is impressive work. The film channels a number of emotions that feel achingly raw and painful. Dano films the movie through Joe’s point-of-view and because of this, it feels like we’re watching every moment along with him. Paul Dano wrote the screenplay (based on the novel by Richard Ford) with his longtime girlfriend Zoe Kazan. Its a very complex screenplay full of challenging characters. Just when you think you’ve got one character figured out, they do something to throw you off. I really love the way fire is used as a symbol of each character’s inner turmoil. For Jerry, it’s the need to chase the unknown. For Jeanette, it’s the uncertainty of her life as a housewife. For Joe, it’s the loss of his childhood. Ultimately, the flames could destroy the idyllic family that once seemed so perfect.
Carey Mulligan continues her streak of excellent performances in Wildlife as Jeanette. She is such a complicated and sad character. At the beginning of the film, she seems like a typical 1960’s housewife. However, things quickly take a turn when her husband gets fired from his job. She becomes obsessed with the family’s financial security and starts to lose her grip on reality. Mulligan showcases a wide range of emotions, from depressed to joyful at a moment’s notice. There’s a particularly great scene between Carey Mulligan and Ed Oxenbould as the two drive out towards the fire. She gives a fascinating monologue that explains a lot about her character.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays more of a supporting role in Wildlife as Jerry, but he still commands every moment that he’s on screen. Jerry faces a mid-life crisis as he is laid off from his job, unsure of what to do next in life. As the man of the house, he is supposed to provide for his family, but his pride has taken a hit. Gyllenhaal plays Jerry with a sense of sadness and longing. He feels the need to do something important with his life, but can’t seem to make anything stick long-term.
Ed Oxenbould gives a great performance as Joe, a young teen stuck in the middle of his two imperfect parents. He finds himself part of a crumbling family unit, unsure how to repair the damage. As an audience member, I couldn’t help but feel for Joe. He goes through so much in this movie. (Things that a kid should never have to deal with.) Ed Oxenbould really makes the audience feel for the character and see the film through his point of view.
My problem with Wildlife involves my belief in a certain aspect of the story. You should probably know this going in because it’s a major plot point, but I’ll just say I’m gonna talk about a few spoilers. In the film, Jeanette has an affair with a man who’s way older than her. On the one hand, I realize her character is coping with a lot of emotional issues. On the other hand, I can’t believe that any woman would cheat on Jake Gyllenhaal. Then throw in the fact that she’s cheating on him with a man twice her age? I’m sorry, that’s just not happening in reality.
You know what is happening? This cinematography! It is absolutely gorgeous. The last shot alone warrants a best cinematography nomination at the Oscars. You’ll know it when you see it! The framing in Wildlife is just fantastic. Diego Garcia manages to frame each actor wonderfully capturing their emotions at just the right time. During the film, Joe takes a job at a photography lab. These scenes are absolutely beautiful and give the film a very retro feel. They reminded me so much of a Paul Thomas Anderson movie. It’s clear Paul Dano has been learning from him!
Jake Gyllenhaal fans will have to suspend their disbelief for some of the plot, but Wildlife is an affecting directorial debut with gorgeous cinematography and compelling performances.
My Rating: 7/10