American Animal

AA was definitely an experience... One of the most unique art films I've seen. At times it reminded a lot of American Psycho and Requiem for a Dream. Some parts seemed a little over the top and melodramatic but overall I thought it was a very interesting and well done film. It was also interesting to make the connections with the various movie nods within the film itself (for example: Gangs of New York).

Whenever I consider writing a screenplay I always want it to center around a main character whose mental health is questionable but he can't be called outright crazy, I think that the writer/director/star Matt D'elia did a superb job of it in the film and it made for a very entertaining and layered story that seemed somewhat one dimensional at first.

I saw it like a month ago at SXSW and I still can't get it out of my head. WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW. You have to see this whenever it becomes available. Can't wait to see it again!

Don't want to say too much, words can't really do it justice. It's a one of a kind in the truest sense. Great acting, great writing, really colorful movie. Keep your eyes peeled. Am thrilled to say I was able to see it at its premiere at SXSW!

The director said he was inspired by Bob Fosse and Mike Nichols, two filmmakers whose work I'm not all that familiar with (I know, shame on me), and I liked this movie enough to check out more of their movies.

Anyway, I loved this movie. Wish there were more like it. Definite 10 out of 10.

Is this a quality production? It sure feels like a low-budget film, and often these are some of the best. In fact, the man playing Jimmy directed and wrote it too. He does quite a good job with the impressions and the crazy behavior. Whether you have the patience to get through the more serious scenes depends on your taste in what are called "art films", which I guess this one is. It starts out as a crazy comedy, but that just can't continue.

The other actors do a good job.

The classical music does make this more pleasant than some movies which can't get along without today's hits.

I saw this on broadcast TV, but I could tell the language had been cleaned up A LOT.

Is it good? I've certainly seen worse.

American Animal was a very unique film. This piece pushes the boundaries on what we are familiar with seeing. In an almost Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas atmosphere, Writer/Director/Star Matt D'Alia takes you for a wild ride through anything that crosses his mind. Matt stars as Jimmy, the dying son of rich parents who lives with his best friend in a high rise apartment. This apartment ends up being the only environment Matt needs to give you a visual tour you won't forget. With a great use of framing, Matt visually shows you the character dynamics between the only four characters you see: Jimmy, his roommate James, Blonde Angela and Not Blonde Angela. The women end up being pawns that Jimmy (Matt) uses to drive home some points, and show the differences in their characters. James, played by Brenden Fletcher, wants to finally branch out of the imaginary playland their apartment is for them and make an attempt to affect the outside world. Jimmy is much more concerned with releasing the internal world that now has free reign over the external world. Where James begins to see their apartment as isolated and hindering, Jimmy sees it as the apex zone for the animal's desire to rule reality, the ultimate American dream. Having no worries, no needs that aren't filled, Jimmy decides to take his desires to the extreme, which are relatively simple and rather animalistic. In an explosive scene between James and Jimmy, Jimmy explains how incredible he feels his opportunity at life really is, considering all the men and animals that worked so hard for him to have this opportunity to express his pure self freely with no chains attached. In a very telling statement Jimmy(Matt) says "I am scared of nothing, I think that's why they are scared of me, they see I am not scared, and that scares them." Not afraid of being who you want to be, free expression of what you are, an animal. Just see what Jimmy decides to do while James is at work.

Seems like most viewers are disturbed and offended by the main character Jimmy.

Jimmy as a character is *supposed* to bother you.

His wild and offensive nature is written to show you how deeply you're unwilling to let yourself live fully and truly to yourself.

He says it himself in the last 30 minutes, but I suspect people just watch the movie as being about "some other guys in an apartment" and have no capacity to see art as a reflection to question their own lives.

I feel that this movie was written from the "cutting edge" of what's *actually going on* in the world today, beneath surface appearances.

It shines a brilliant spotlight on what, in my humble opinion, are some of the defining questions of this day and age:

What do we do with this incredible opportunity that being alive in the 21st century affords us?

If you were dying of a terminal illness (hint: you already are), and had all your basic needs accounted for (hint: you already do), what would you do with your life?

Would you want to dance around your apartment alone and naked like Jimmy? If so, is that what you *really* would want?

Would you want to "give back" by joining the workforce like Jimmy's roommate? If so, is that what you *really* would want?

While watching this movie it's a good idea to put yourself in Jimmy's shoes rather than having a kneejerk reaction of seeing him as "just some crazy guy", while having the also-kneejerk reaction of seeing his roommate as "the sane one".

Thank you Matt D'Elia for what you did here.