I’ve mentioned before, that all things being equal I prefer to see a film in a cinema versus home theatre. My exhibit A would have to be ANIMAL KINGDOM.

This Australian film is the story of The Cody family in Melbourne. After his mother dies of a heroin overdose, teenaged Joshua goes to live with his grandmother Janine. In the same household is Joshua’s three uncles: Pope, Craig, and Darren – all of which are criminals at one level or another. Pope is trying to lay low with a warrant out on him for armed robbery, but seems to have lost the concept of what “laying low” is after his best friend gets murdered by a rogue cop. As all hell breaks loose, Joshua gets dragged into the family business.

ANIMAL KINGDOM is in no great hurry to show its hand. There are no emotional breakdowns, no thrilling scenes of daring criminal deeds. What the film does contain is scene after scene of amoral people mapping out their amoral plans, and dealing with the vicious after effects. In a darkened theatre, I might have been drawn in deeply to these moments…at home I started fiddling with my cell phone and fussing about in the kitchen. It’s a very slow burn, and the sort of film that demands patience…the sort of patience watching on TV doesn’t always lend itself to.

While I’d heard good things about this film since late summer, the draw for me was Jacki Weaver’s Oscar nomination. To that end, I must say that the nod is truly well deserved as she might well be the highlight of the film. Her character, Janine, has a rather unexpected arc. Not only does this make her role the most interesting within the story, it puts the onus on her to step in with an all-encompassing performance. Weaver succeeds admirably, stepping up as a true matriarch in what is most often a genre fixated on the Y-chromasome.

When the sun sets on ANIMAL KINGDOM, we’re left with a subtle and grim story. Ultimately a worthwhile watch, but one that will demand your attention like few others.