American Animals

I really didn't know what to expect from American Animals. I'd seen the trailer and was suitably intrigued, but when people asked me what it was about I could never really hold it in my head. A heist/robbery was all I could mutter, but it looks really good. 

I was even more intrigued when my friend and trusted reviewer of Thursday Night At The Movies gave the film 4.5/5 which is high praise indeed. Seriously, sign up to her blog because her reviews are fantastic and way more frequent than mine.

I missed the film at Cineworld but I was determined to see it and boy am I glad I did! Part heist movie, part documentary, the film follows two college friends who decide to steal some rare, and highly valued books from the college library rare books room. It's guarded by one lowly librarian (played by The Handmaid's Tale's Aunt Lydia) so how hard can it be?

It turns out very, as the boys have to enlist the help of two other students before attempting the robbery.

This film is one of the most interesting I have seen this year. Much like Searching, this film is uniquely filmed, but this time it's in the way it seamlessly goes between interview footage from the real people that the movie is based on, to film footage of the actors playing these people. It's a fascinating story even if all you saw was the actors (who embody their characters perfectly) but to see the real people and find out what happened to them and how it affected those closest to them takes it up a whole other level.

I don't think I breathed during the robbery scenes and actually had my hands on my head for some of it, it's super tense and stylishly shot, but never feels anything other than gritty and true to life. 

Evan Peters completely stole the show for me, playing the charismatic Warren, but similarly all of the actors were faultless. I'd only seen Barry Keoghan in Dunkirk, and I don't think I've seen anything that Blake Jenner or Jared Abrahamson have done before but they were all the complete embodiment of their characters as far as I was concerned. 

If you can find this movie in cinemas I urge you to go and experience it. It's a ride you won't forget. 

9/10