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Wildlife
2018 105 min United States of America PG-13 16+
★7.3
Drama
Director: Paul Dano
🎭 Based on
«Wildlife»
byRichard Ford
Trailers
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Description
14-year-old Joe is the only child of Jeanette and Jerry — a housewife and a golf pro — in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job (and his sense of purpose) he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves.
US Gross:
$1.05M
Worldwide:
$3.1M
Starring
Ed Oxenbould
Actor
Jake Gyllenhaal
Actor
Carey Mulligan
Actor
Awards
Sundance Film Festival 2018
— Grand Jury Prize (Drama)
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Caméra d'Or
Key opinion
Paul Dano's directorial debut is widely regarded as a restrained, emotionally resonant family drama that excels in its subtle character study. While its deliberate pace and lack of traditional plot dynamics divide viewers, most critics praise the film for its authentic performances and precise, atmospheric cinematography.
| Acting | Carey Mulligan’s complex, transformative performance as a woman unraveling under domestic pressure is a standout element of the film. | |
| Cinematography | Diego Garcia’s cinematography provides striking, precise, and naturalistic compositions that effectively capture the film's 1950s Americana setting. | |
| Originality | The narrative perspective of the 14-year-old son provides a fresh, observant, and heartbreaking lens through which to view his parents' marital dissolution. | |
| Pacing | The film's intentional, slow-burn pacing and minimal plot are appreciated by those who value contemplative, character-driven drama, but dismissed by others as tedious and uneventful. | |
| Ending | The ambiguous, open-ended finale is praised for its visual elegance and emotional finality, though some viewers find it frustratingly unfinished or lacking in narrative payoff. |