Animals

Not a bad movie but films like this rely on the viewer caring about the main characters, I didn't. The first half with the pair of girls playing was fun but once the dull boys came into it the movie drags slowly into not very much.

So I get the point of this movie ,, girl gotta be her own self .. If she wants to be someone she's trying to be she should not be depending on a husband or a friend or whatever ... I mean cool idea .. not original though ,, didn't read the book ,, but I watched an interview once for Emma Jane Unsworth (the writer of ANIMALS the book) and she kinda gave a clear idea that she wants an all girl movie just because girl power ... which is amazing, don't get me wrong.. but apparently the book itself isn't that strong for this ...

The cast were okay though,, I like Alia Shawkat, she's like 30 now but she still has that funny quirky overstepping girl kinda vibes and she had a good back and forth with Holliday Grainger ,, anyway, the script, hence the book, didn't help but still the whole cast tried.

Anyway, this is not a good choice for a family movie night ,, but If you feel like there's literally nothing to watch ,, try to find some old DVDs you have or something, and if you couldn't then Aaah what the heck, you can watch it , who know's you might not hate it.

This was another Cineworld Unlimited preview showing, so this film isn't released in the UK until early August (2019).

Laura (Holliday Grainger) and Tyler (Alia Shawkat) are two late twenty-somethings partying their way to an early death through drink, drugs and lack of sleep in Dublin. They are co-habiting best friends, with Laura a hugely unsuccessful part-time novelist and Tyler a barista. But these "professions" are just to fill the day and provide cash (SURELY not enough!?) to fuel their nights.

They are swimming against the current of convention, but when Laura falls for concert pianist Jim (Fra Fee), and 'settling down' starts to look like an option, then this begins to put a terrible strain on their friendship.

I have to admit that I really didn't enjoy this film. I'm sure it's technically very strong - with great cinematography and (at times) thoughtful script. But I had absolutely no empathy with any of the characters involved. They were driftless individuals leading vacuous hedonistic lives. I just wanted to shake them by the shoulders and shout in their faces "Are you going to be happy with what you've done in your life on your death bed?"

I often talk about "story arcs" in my blog. For example, the "man in a hole" story arc is "happy-sad-happy" through the film. The story arc of this film is "miserable unpleasant people feeling wretched, then slightly less wretched, then wretched again". It was just not a winning formula for me.

I see that the film is described on imdb as a "comedy drama". I think they are shooting for sort of a female version of "Withnail and I". But, to be honest, while there were a few funny lines that raised a smile, I don't think it was funny enough to merit that description. I certainly didn't remotely agree with the "Hilarious" quote on the poster.

Honest to God, I don't think there is a single frame of this film where there is not wine being poured or drugs being snorted. "You drink with a real sense of mortality", dodgy poet Marty (Dermot Murphy) tells Laura. (This is a great line from scriptwriter Emma Jane Unsworth's script). I can't find what the budget of this film was, but it wouldn't surprise me if 80% of it wasn't spent on bottles of Jacob's Creek. I expected to see a "wine wrangler" listed in the end titles.

It's not a great example to set for young people for sure, and it well deserves its UK15 certificate. With its drug taking, heavy drinking and casual (and morally bankrupt) sex, if I was on the BBFC I would have be lobbying for an 18 certificate.

In terms of the cast, Holliday Grainger is excellent and believable in the role of the aimless drifter suddenly finding an anchor. Another really great performance. Equally good is Alia Shawkat, an actress unknown to me. She gets across brilliantly the desperation of a lost soul losing her soulmate. (I just had trouble separating her character in my mind from Rizzo in "Grease". If they ever remake that film, she would be a shoe-in for the role made famous by Stockard Channing.) By the way, if you're trying to pin down where you've seen Fra Fee's striking features before (it was bugging me) he played the part of Courfeyrac in the film version of "Les Miserables".

Made by Sophie Hyde it's an interesting and well made film. As such, I don't want to give it a savage rating. Many may enjoy it. I personally didn't, and wouldn't watch it again. The primary benefit I got from seeing it was again registering Holliday Grainger as an acting force that I will watch out for in future films.

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The film is well done and the acting is excellent. The whole thing is very believable. The issue is the story. It a free wheeling pair of best girlfriends drinking and sexing their lives away in a continuous party at night. Then, one of them falls a bit for a guy and the other can't take it. You'd think lesbianism but it is not a consumed one, apparently. The cheery beginning full of promises turn into jadedness. I see this film as a cautionary tale of a death spiral about to commence.

Heartwarming, funny and sad all at different times the film was a real blast for the majority although felt was around 20 minutes to long towards the end it did drag a little and the humour began to wear off. Overall still worth a watch and Holliday Grainger in particular was fantastic.