Wildlife review: Fire and water with fantastic performances

The Paul Dano-directed Wildlife starring Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal, currently on Netflix, is a film about changing lives and trying to make ends meet.

Wildlife is a 2018 film (based on the Richard Ford novel) which first appeared at the Sundance Film Festival and released in limited theatres during the fall of the same year.

It’s well worth investing into as an impeccably acted and directed movie about a family on the brink in the 1960s. It’s a small glimpse into their lives, as financial worries and straining relationships become the main focus.

The portrayal of each parent, Mulligan’s Jeanette and Gyllenhaal’s Jerry, are so pronounced and defined. Jeanette looks to recapture her younger days, to dig out from the life she never expected to live; while Jerry is driven inward by his principles and pride, eventually making a rash decision in order to wake himself up, perhaps to the detriment of his family.

Both are flawed in their own ways, but equally human in those flaws. They are opposites, really: Jeanette becomes a swimming instructor while Jerry takes off to help with the oncoming wildfires. Fire and water, as blunt as it gets, but it does so in a nuanced and intelligent manner. They both are looking to better themselves, but perhaps are going about it in all the wrong ways.

At the center of their marriage is Ed Oxenbould’s Joe, their son. He is jockeyed between the two, almost stuck in picking a side as their marriage starts to fade. He’s the heart of the film, and Oxenbould does wonderful work in showing the conflict while struggling with everyday teenage life.

Deep down, the film is all about the performances. With Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal in the leads, the movie is a powerhouse of actors at the top of their game. Both shine brightly under the direction of fellow actor Paul Dano, who seizes on their characters and makes the pair, and Oxenbould, become essential to the film’s success. Each has multiple moments of incredible impact.

Here is the trailer for the film:

Dano, along with co-writer Zoe Kazan, manages to make Wildlife about drifting apart, the separation of a connection. It’s backed by some wonderful imagery, vista shots of a car heading toward smoking mountains and small, simple shots of its actors’ faces, all adding up to incredibly effective drama.

Wildlife is a wonderful movie. It may be a little difficult and emotional, but it’s an encompassing look at an intimate family and proves itself a worthwhile and tender investment.

Have you seen Wildlife? Let us know what you think in the comments below!