Animals (2019)

Review

109min

Genre:       Comedy, Drama

Director:    Sophie Hyde

Cast:         Holliday Grainger, Alia Shawkat, Fra Fee…and more

Writers:     Emma Jane Unsworth

-Synopsis-

When one of them becomes engaged to a responsible musician, the lives of two hard-drinking, fast-living thirty-something Dubliners are inevitably changed, as the limits of their co-dependent friendship are tested and their lifestyle choices put into question—in this dramedy adaptation of the frank 2014 modern novel about 21st century female friendship.

When it comes to bawdy and irresponsible friendships on the big screen, there has been no shortage of risqué and unflinching depictions in both indie and mainstream cinema over the last few decades, from the comedic and absurd to the dramatic and poignant—but rarely from the perspective of the so-called ‘fairer sex’. Now armed with Emma Jane Unsworth’s screen adaptation of her own novel, Aussie director Sophie Hyde attempts to redress the balance. As she leads a Dublin-set, Australian-Irish produced warts-and-all indie take on single life and modern female friendship—plus a darkly comedic and unflinching examination on being a flawed modern woman in the 21st century West . . . with all the aspirations, desires, failings and longings that come with it.

Holliday Grainger stars as Irish thirty-something struggling part-time author and full-time hellraiser ‘Laura’, living a self-indulgent life of rebellion against  the social standards imposed on women, along with her irrepressible and self-styled, bawdy acid-tongue American roommate ‘Tyler’ (Alia Shawkat)—when a chance meeting with concert pianist and social square ‘Jim’ (Fra Fee) threatens to end a decade of co-dependent friendship when they become engaged. But as the demands of impending marriage begin to clash with her hedonistic lifestyle and the longest platonic relationship she’s ever had—not to mention her own procrastinated artistic aspirations—Laura is forced into unwelcome self-reflection and is plunged into an existential crisis . . . with uncomfortably unexpected and confronting comedic consequences for everyone around her.

It would be easy to describe this film, and indeed Unsworth’s source novel, as a woman-centric, 21st century female empowerment version of ‘Withnail & I’—and that would be a fair description. Yet ‘Animals’ makes a valiant effort at adding narrative layers from a different perspective, not only painting a very specific portrait of casual youthful alcoholism and substance abuse, but weaving together a slightly scattershot story of unhealthy co-dependent friendship, evolving romantic relationships, and the rejection and subversion of gender roles and social expectations. And all of this in a narrative which proves morally ambiguous, and as conflicted about the behaviour on show as its lead protagonist is, making ‘Animals’ arguably more honest and frank about modern relationships than many a screen drama.

Aside from also flirting with nuances of human nature and instinct, ‘Animals’ is to a lesser extent a self-reflective, albeit skin deep, modern meditation on artistry in general, and writing in particular, commenting on the struggles of artistic expression and the way that life can either get in the way, or help to fuel it. Most importantly though ‘Animals’ is a dark-ish, occasionally outrageous and often awkward human comedy. And although it doesn’t quite boast the frequency and weight of laughs which the trailer might suggest, it delivers the goods when it has to—whilst heavily laced with sex, drugs and literary references, plus all the brash and bawdy but candid behaviour you can handle.

Yet despite the promise of the premise, and all the rowdy ingredients in this modern relationship casserole, both director Hyde and indeed Unsworth herself struggle slightly with the source material—creating a choppy, haphazard and uneven narrative which often lacks the energy of the youthful rebellion it recounts, and is not quite as edgy as it wishes it was.

‘Animals’ also sends mixed messages when it comes to the duo’s behaviour and choices—arguably the strength of a film which depicts young women as highly flawed, conflicted and complex—but it sits uncomfortably between sympathising with strong and unapologetic women who reject society’s norms and expectations, and judging them for self-indulgent destructive behaviour designed to avoid the spectre of maturing. And ultimately it also fails to truly address with nuance and sobriety (pardon the pun) the monster of addiction and alcoholism, as a both a driving and limiting factor, while the film’s emotional conclusion proves slightly unconvincing and underwhelming.

The film’s success mainly rests on the young shoulders of its two leads, who manage to admirably bring to life two laissez-faire queens with plenty of style and a dose of pathos, as American star Alia Shawkat combines her extensive comedic experience with the more nuanced talents displayed in recent films like ‘Blaze’, bringing to life a larger-than-life figure who’s as fierce, grandiose and irreverent as she is tragic and inwardly broken. But while her co-star provides the film’s colour, Holliday Grainger is its heart and emotional anchor, turning in the more nuanced and self-reflective performance, not to mention a spot-on Dublin accent, on the way to underlining the young Brit’s credentials as a burgeoning leading lady.

Ultimately the characters are big and layered enough, the performances suitably bold, and the perspective fresh enough to make ‘Animals’ a moderately subversive and unconventional, frank cinematic tale of friendship, sisterhood and co-dependence told through the prism of second to third wave feminism—which despite some flat narrative notes and slightly dour flourishes, still proves a welcomingly uncomfortable and amusing portrait of deeply flawed but free young women, taking ownership of their minds, bodies and souls . . . for better or worse.

The Bottom Line…

Sophie Hyde’s adaptation stumbles slightly over its narrative choices, and what it wants to say about youthful female friendship and flawed headstrong women in the modern world, but whether by design or happenstance manages to reflect the conflicts and complexities of both, powered by two standout central performances, and enough humorous hedonism and reckless abandon to make for a reasonably captivating human dramedy from a fresh perspective.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Withnail & I (1987)

In late 60s Britain, a couple of hard-drinking unemployed actors leave their squalid London home to recharge at a country retreat weekend, only to hilariously struggle with the elements and the locals, the meager supplies and the advances of an older gentleman.

Directed by Bruce Robinson and starring Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann and Richard Griffiths among others.

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