Rent Wildlife (2018)

Folks at home. - Wildlife review by NC

Well acted and executed. Not an uplifting film necessarily, but pretty near the mark for then and now. These days would probably included drugs of course.......that would have speeded the process i expect............

An outstanding film debut from director and young lead actor. - Wildlife review by ST

The pairing of novelist Richard Ford's story and Paul Dano's film inspired by it is a marriage made in heaven, unlike the down to earth one we witness unravelling here in 'Wildlife'. A joy to see such outstanding movie acting talents as Gyllenhaal, Mulligan and Camp so clearly at home working with fellow lead actor turned director who can extract the very best performances from them as an equal, so delivering a brilliant first feature. If, like this viewing household, you like world cinema dramas which have a child or adolescent centered narrative - films like Wajda, The Last Tree, Capernaum or Whale Rider - then you're in for a treat here as teenager Ed Oxenbould delivers a totally convincing central performance .

No thrills or spills in this independent film, and it's run length is just about right, saying all that needs to be said, mostly without words. As a perceptive study of human fraility and resilience in adversity it's a real gem. Subtle, moving and ultimately life affirming. Hopefully there will be more of Paul Dano's work as a director to look forward to.

One complaint regards Set Up. For some odd reason the distributors do not offer subtitles for the hard of hearing. As so many movies include key scenes with naturalistic but barely audible mumbled dialogue it can be frustrating to be locked out of the narrative without helpful captions.

Just about watchable - Wildlife review by Rm

This is a rather confusing and depressing film. If there was a message to be found here I didn't find it.

Forgettable - Wildlife review by BE

I found this laconic movie mainly dull and uninteresting.  It was too slow and the father and son characters lacked any depth. I watched it all but ultimately, found it quite boring. 

1960-set US family drama based on a novel - Wildlife review by PV

This film is based on a novel and looks it - these family dramas are often from novels and of course, in the book, the author can reveal backstory and motivation and multiple points of view far better than in linear, 2-d film really. It shows and some events here seem way too out of the blue.

Anyway, excellent for the genre - though rather forgettable. only half-way through did I realise I watched it before, on TV. It is a so-so family drama.

No subtitles which is annoying as much dialogue is naturalistic AKA mumbled.

Excellent acting BUT the teenage boy looks nothing like either of his parents, which niggled - he actually looks rather like the director, actor Paul Dano, which is even weirder. Maybe Dano was originally cast as the father?

Good to see 1960 USA, though the whole wild fire motif blows itself out pretty quickly.

I remember other films set around the same time, like Pleasantville, Diner, Gods and Monsters, others.

3 stars