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R| 1 hr. 52 min.

Plot Summary
In this gritty Australian crime drama, young Joshua "J" Cody (James Frecheville) is taken in by his extended family after his mother dies of an overdose. This branch of the Cody clan, overseen by J's scheming grandmother, Janine (Jacki Weaver), is heavily involved in various criminal activities, and they quickly indoctrinate the boy into their way of life. However, J is given an opportunity to take a different route when a cop named Leckie (Guy Pearce) seeks to help him leave the family fold.

Cast: Ben Mendelsohn , Joel Edgerton , Guy Pearce , Luke Ford , Jacki Weaver , Sullivan Stapleton , James Frecheville , Dan Wyllie

Director: David Michôd

Genres: Crime drama

Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics

Animal Kingdom (2010)

Release Date: August 13th, 2010|1 hr. 52 min.

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critic reviews ( 3 )
fan reviews ( 5 )
  • 75
    Peter Travers Rolling Stone

    Writer-director David Michôd catches you in a vise and squeezes - hard. show more

  • 100
    Amy Biancolli San Francisco Chronicle

    It's a remarkable film: A gritty, gut-churning, crime thriller based on a true story. Its greatness lies in its unwavering fidelity to human nature and the unstoppable laws of the wild. show more

  • 100
    Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal

    A phenomenal debut feature with a terrific title, David Michôd's Animal Kingdom is both a study in Darwinian survival-in this case survival of the shrewdest-and a group portrait of ruthless predators in the underworld of Melbourne, Australia. show more

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com
  • September 12, 2010 RomeGG
    Report This User

    This is the best movie I've seen in years. My husband and I were simply mesmerized by the superb acting and storyline. Absolutely excellent and not to be missed!

  • September 12, 2010 jimni44
    Report This User

    We saw this film last night, but we didn't hear this film. Whoever was responsible for the sound in this film should be permanently barred from ever working on another movie. The loud noises were too loud and the soft speaking and whispering were inaudible. That coupled with the difficulty of understanding the Australian accent made for a miserable waste of time and money. Besides, what we were able to hear of the dialog wasn't all that good anyway.

  • September 12, 2010 ncfrrst
    Report This User

    Garbage!!! A total bore from down under. A wannabe Layer Cake. Throw this one in the trash can.

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Oscars Made Easy: Why You Should See 'Animal Kingdom'

Posted by Eric Larnick on February 16, 2011

We're breaking down all the Oscar contenders for you, so that you can decide whether you want to see them -- or at the very least, hold your own at cocktail parties. Next up: 'Animal Kingdom,' th...

Best in Blu-ray: 'Animal Kingdom,' 'Shock Corridor,' 'Naked Kiss' and More!

Posted by Peter Martin on January 18, 2011

'Best in Blu-ray' sifts through the week's new releases, recommending titles for both the Blu-ray veteran and newbie, as well as the coolest special feature and most intriguing rental. Look for it...

50 Best Movies of 2010

Posted by Moviefone Staff on September 1, 2010

Much has been debated about the quality of the top movies released this year, but that we were able to pull together a list of the 50 best movies of 2010 means it couldn't have been so bad afte...

The Director and Star of 'Animal Kingdom' Talk About the Movie's True Crime History

Posted by Eric Larnick on August 13, 2010

Today marks the release of the Australian crime sensation 'Animal Kingdom' which won the won the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema at this year's Sundance Film Festival. After his mother ODs, you...

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