(Australia, 2009, 112 mins)

Growing up in any family is tough, but add heroin and guns to the equation and it’s a whole different game.

“Animal Kingdom,” written and directed by David Michôd, offers a look at how 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (James Frecheville) survives in this criminal world. 

The movie opens with J watching television. Soon we see his life is not typical as he witnesses his mother die of a heroin overdose. Frecheville acts beautifully in this scene as an innocent boy of few words (the brilliance of his deliverance is in his facial expressions). He then calls Grandma Janine Cody (Jacki Weaver) in an almost comedic conversation where he asks for her advice on funeral plans and a place to stay. 

So J settles in with his estranged family. Unfortunately, it’s a family of hardened, violent criminals who are hunted by other lowlifes and, of course, the police. Many of the scenes are thrilling good guy, bad guy chases that will attract any action fan. But, there's more to this film.

“Kingdom” is both a coming-of-age drama and a criminal saga. It shows the importance of family, even if they are not law-abiding citizens. As J copes with grieving for his mother, he is thrust into the dangerous lifestyle of his uncles who have no fear of corrupting a minor. Yet these people are all he has. J tries to balance doing the right thing with his loyalty to the surviving Codys. 

It’s also interesting to see how the other Codys accept a new, younger member of the family. Trust is not easy to come by in their world, which makes for a solid dramatic element. 

With such a dynamic written into the script, it takes enormous talent to pull it off successfully. And actors Ben Mendelsohn (Andrew “Pope” Cody), Luke Ford (Darren Cody), Sullivan Stapleton (Craig Cody), Frecheville and Weaver do it with gusto. Weaver steals the show as the manipulative and superficially motherly head of the house. 

Of course, what’s a good crime story without the police? Guy Pearce plays “good cop” Leckie, an officer who gets close to J as he attempts the battle of becoming a man.

Overall, “Animal Kingdown” is an enjoyable watch with a deeper plotline than just good guys and criminals.

Verdict: Go see in theatres for surround sound.

Rating: 4 / 5 

- Holly Butcher

Writer/Director David Michôd presents a harrowing glimpse into an urban drug-fueled world that underlies the city of Melbourne. Telling the story of four men who have delved into the underworld of Melbourne, "Animal Kingdom" explores a cat-and-mouse-style hunt of the four men by certain detectives in the police squad. 

The Codys are played brilliantly by Ben Mendelsohn, Luke Ford and Sullivan Stapleton, each embodying his own individual characteristics, but each also very devoted to each other and their mother. Michôd wrote the part of the matriarchal Janine for Australian screen legend Jackie Weaver, and she plays her character with a sickly sweetness that masks the nuanced manipulative hold she has over her boys. While the rest of the actors playing her sons take on almost stereotypical roles, it is Janine who leaves the audience confused and perplexed at times. 

The most moving character in the film is that of Joshua ‘J’ Cody, and it is newcomer James Frecheville who steals the limelight from the rest of the superb cast. ‘J’ has been thrown into the drug world in his home environment and often against his will, and from the very start of the film, he has to develop a mental strength that goes beyond what a normal teenager should be dealing with. But with his compelling mix of vulnerability, innocence and morality, Frecheville portrays his character with skills and talent that go way beyond his own 17 years of age.

Michôd takes "Animal Kingdom" beyond the generic drug-mafia story, into a complex plot revolving around family ties and corruption, and tells a story about Australia that doesn’t necessarily get told. With such an excellent cast producing enrapturing performances, "Animal Kingdom" is definitely worth taking a trip to see.

Verditct: Go see it!

- Piya Sinha-Roy