Beasts of the Southern Wild

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Directed by: Benh Zeitlin
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

During this Oscar season I have heard the title Beasts of the Southern Wild tossed around by everybody and their mother. I kept telling myself that I need to see it if everyone is praising it. I kept putting it off until today. I was inspired yesterday when Judd Apatow stated on his Facebook account "Beasts of the Southern Wild is the only movie I have felt the need to watch multiple times this year...". If you know me then you know my fondness for Apatow so that was the last bit of coaxing that I needed. I rented it from RedBox (along with another film that I will review soon) and watched it. It didn't hold my attention like I hoped it would but I can certainly understand the buzz surrounding it.

Beasts of the Southern Wild is about a small community living outside the levees in New Orleans. Hushpuppy, played by Quvenzhané Wallis, lives with her father, Wink (Dwight Henry), and several animals. Her room consists of a trailer perched on a tree while Wink stays in a lean-to construction across a field from her. The start of the film shows how happy Hushpuppy is with her life in The Bathtub (their community) and the strong sense of kinship they all share. The film then transitions to a school lesson where Miss Bathsheba (Gina Montana) tells Hushpuppy and her class that the polar ice caps are melting and that when they are gone, the water is going to cover their homes. She also tells them about Aurochs (the animal that is the precursor to modern cattle) and how they were a creature to be feared. She tells the children that the cavemen would hide and draw images of them on their walls because of their fear and admiration towards them. Hushpuppy begins to have imagine chunks of ice breaking off into the ocean carrying Aurochs inside. She believes that these Aurochs are coming to get her. We learn early in the film that Hushpuppy's father is not well and that he is not as caring as it is initially thought. He proves to be short tempered and somewhat violent towards his daughter. The film explores their relationship as well as the concept of home and community.

Something that immediately caught my attention in this film is how real it all seemed. When films are done about the bayou or New Orleans it always seems like there is a certain element of fantasy involved. I will say that I cannot remember many films depicting these areas except for maybe The Waterboy. Adam Sandler's character (Bobby) lived with his momma in the swamps of Louisiana but it didn't feel like that. Treme is set in post Katrina New Orleans and I think it comes the closest to how the city and area actually feel. The community in Beasts lives in extremely poor conditions yet they don't know anything else. We see Hushpuppy trot around in dirty clothes and galoshes because that's all she owns. The people speak and behave how I imagine they would. The only element of fantasy is the occasional flash of the Aurochs that are heading to The Bathtub. Wallis' narration adds an incredible innocence to the entire film. Her naivety about the ways of the world break your heart. In one scene, she observes sick people in a hospital that are connected to IVs and monitors. She says that when animals get sick here, they plug them into the walls. We take for granted the things that we know and we never think about how foreign some of our actions and comforts might be. Beasts of the Southern Wild is a well constructed film and it is worth seeing to understand what the Oscar buzz surrounding Quvenzhané is all about.

I stated above that this film didn't hold my attention like I hoped it would. I had no idea what I was about to watch when I put the DVD in. I was immediately captivated by the story of Hushpuppy and Wink but grew tired of his Devil may care attitude. I didn't understand how these people that are living in such an abject situation; such dire straits, could so adamantly fight off any help they might receive. I also take objection with the Academy. I wonder if they considered a Best Actor nomination for Dwight Henry because he had a fantastic performance as Wink.

No BS

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a film about the relationship between a girl and her father as they survive in the lowlands outside of New Orleans. There are some lighthearted moments in the film but they are sparse. At heart, this film is a drama about growing up and facing what the world throws at you. If you have asked why Wallis has been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar then definitely see this because you'll see why immediately.

My Score: 7/10