Animal Kingdom (2010)

Director:

David Michôd

Writer:

David Michôd (written by)

Release Date:

3 June 2010 (Australia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A crime story.

Plot:

Tells the story of seventeen year-old J (Josh) as he navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who thinks he can save him.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Robbery | Drug Dealer | Survival | Armed Robbery

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 36 wins & 36 nominations

Cast

James Frecheville	...	Joshua 'J' Cody
Bryce Lindemann	...	Paramedic #1
Paul Smits	...	Paramedic #2
Jacki Weaver	...	Janine 'Smurf' Cody
Joel Edgerton	...	Barry 'Baz' Brown
Luke Ford	...	Darren Cody
Sullivan Stapleton	...	Craig Cody
Mirrah Foulkes	...	Catherine Brown
Anthony Ahern	...	Armed Robbery Detective
Justin Rosniak	...	Detective Randall Roache
Michael Vice	...	Hood #1
Chris Weir	...	Hood #2
Laura Wheelwright	...	Nicky Henry
Sarah Nguyen	...	Waitress
Lucia Cai	...	Cashier
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Andrew 'Pope' Cody
Ann Michôd	...	Shopper
Susan Prior	...	Alicia Henry
Clayton Jacobson	...	Gus Emery
Tim Phillipps	...	Const. Daniel Horden
Josh Helman	...	Const. Peter Simmons
Michael Cody	...	Police Radio
Kieran Darcy-Smith	...	John Harrop
Guy Pearce	...	Sgt Nathan Leckie
Anthony Hayes	...	Detective Justin Norris
Jack Heanly	...	Andy Emery
Dan Wyllie	...	Ezra White
Andy McPhee	...	Richard Collis
Christina Azucena	...	Dacinta Collis
Jacqueline Brennan	...	Sarah Leckie
Ben Ouwehand	...	Scott Leckie
Bert Labonte	...	PSG Santo
James Saunders	...	PSG Gary
Dom Phelan	...	PSG Tom
Brenda Palmer	...	Smurf's Neighbour
Anna Lise Phillips	...	Barrister Justine Hopper
Tom Noble	...	Court Warden
Daniel Roche	...	SOG
David Michôd	...	Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luke Doolan	...	Drug Squad Officer
Brendan Bacon	...	Pasty Guy (uncredited)
Stephen Hannah	...	Detective Extra (uncredited)
George Iskander	...	Shopper (uncredited)
Paul Rochford	...	Sog #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
David Michôd

Writing credits
David Michôd		(written by)

Produced by
Libby Sharpe	....	line producer
Vincent Sheehan	....	executive producer
Bec Smith	....	executive producer
Liz Watts	....	producer

Original Music by
Antony Partos

Cinematography by
Adam Arkapaw

Film Editing by
Luke Doolan

Casting by
Kirsty McGregor

Production Design by
Josephine Ford		(as Jo Ford)

Art Direction by
Janie Parker

Costume Design by
Cappi Ireland

Makeup Department
Simone Albert	....	hair stylist
Simone Albert	....	makeup artist
Danni McDowell	....	hair assistant
Danni McDowell	....	makeup assistant
Zeljka Stanin	....	hair stylist (as Zeljkica Stanin)
Kirsten Veysey	....	hair supervisor
Kirsten Veysey	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Helen Lovelock	....	post-production supervisor
Andy Pappas	....	unit manager
Libby Sharpe	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Betty Fotofili	....	second assistant director
Phil Jones	....	first assistant director
Kham Soukseun	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Stephen Carroll	....	pre-vis
Ashley Fraser	....	props buyer
Ashley Fraser	....	set dresser
Anna McEwan	....	props buyer
Anna McEwan	....	set dresser
Jordan Molloy	....	assistant stand-by props
Michael O'Sullivan	....	stand-by props
Vanessa Younger	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Asha Ardill	....	sound facilities manager: Soundfirm Australia
Philippe Decrausaz	....	sound recordist
Bruce Emery	....	sound consultant: Dolby
James Hardy	....	boom operator
Leah Katz	....	dialogue editor
Robert Mackenzie	....	sound mixer
Andrew Neil	....	foley editor
Richard Pain	....	sound effects editor
Sam Petty	....	sound designer
Sam Petty	....	sound mixer
Sam Petty	....	supervising sound editor
Liesl Pieterse	....	mix assistant
Simon Rosenberg	....	adr recordist
Alex Stewart	....	foley recordist
Jenny Sutcliffe	....	boom operator
Brooke Trezise	....	assistant sound editor
Brooke Trezise	....	atmospheres editor
Mario Vaccaro	....	foley walker
Andy Wright	....	adr recordist (as Andrew Wright)

Special Effects by
Michael Plummer	....	special effects technician (as Mick Plummer)
Peter Stubbs	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Simon Alberry	....	i/o supervisor
Amanda Duncan	....	optical effects artist
John Durney	....	optical effects artist
Leo Gomez	....	i/o operator
Matthew T. Griffin	....	optical effects artist (as Matthew Griffin)
May Lo	....	i/o operator
Peter Luczak	....	i/o operator
Peter Polyzoidis	....	optical effects artist
Doug Roberts	....	optical effects artist
Nathan Smith	....	i/0 operations liaison
Robert Stollar	....	optical effects artist
Takahiro Suzuki	....	optical supervisor
Takahiro Suzuki	....	visual effects supervisor
Henry Yekanians	....	senior i/o operator

Stunts
Zev Eleftheriou	....	stunt coordinator
Zev Eleftheriou	....	stunt driver: Gus
Beau Hurren	....	stunt double: J
Beau Hurren	....	stunts: Detective #1
Graham Jahne	....	stunt double: Pope
Graham Jahne	....	stunts: SOG #1
Paul Rochford	....	stunts: SOG #2
Jesse Rowles	....	stunts: Detective #2
Beau Hurren	....	assistant stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Glenn Arrowsmith	....	key grip
Emily Jade Barr	....	camera attachment
Sky Davies	....	clapper loader
Karl Engeler	....	gaffer
Adrian Goodwin	....	assistant grip
Dale Henderson	....	Steadicam operator
Andrew Jerram	....	focus puller
Tony Mott	....	still photographer
Sascha Obermaier	....	electrics
Jem Rayner	....	first assistant camera
Bronwyn Rennex	....	still photographer
Mark Rogers	....	poster photographer
Narelle Sheean	....	still photographer
John Tsiavis	....	still photographer
Anthony Veith	....	best boy

Casting Department
Angie Fielder	....	extras casting
Jonny Kennerley	....	casting assistant
Stevie Ray	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Davies	....	costume supervisor
Sarah Parr	....	costume attachment
Maria Pattison	....	costume buyer
Carolyn Wells	....	stand-by costume (as Carolyn 'Ruby' Wells)

Editorial Department
Christine Cheung	....	first assistant editor
Brad Dunn	....	digital intermediate conformer
Rebecca Dunn	....	digital intermediate operations
Jamie Hediger	....	digital intermediate colorist
Gordon MacPhail	....	digital intermediate production liaison
Darryl McKee	....	digital intermediate production liaison
Matthew North	....	digital intermediate supervisor (as Matthew Maxfield North)
Basia Ozerski	....	additional assistant editor
Jonathan Taylor	....	first assistant editor
Neil Wood	....	colorist: dailies
Alex Seymour	....	editorial production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Laura Bishop	....	arranger: organ music
Wes Chew	....	music producer
Wes Chew	....	music recordist
Tim Chung	....	musician: counter tenor
Phillip Hartl	....	musician: violin (as Phil Hartl)
Andrew Lancaster	....	musician: guitar
Jono Ma	....	additional programming & producing
Jono Ma	....	musician: treated guitars & synths
David McCormack	....	musician: guitar
Brett McKern	....	musician: organ
Phil McLeod	....	musician: cello (as Philip McLeod)
Antony Partos	....	music arranger
Jim Pennell	....	musician: guitar
Sam Petty	....	composer: additional music
Justin Shave	....	additional programming & producing
Stefan Karrer	....	soundtrack album producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Patrick Bourchier	....	unit driver
Clare Hollins	....	driver
Hamish Macleoud	....	unit driver
Paul Mahoney	....	vehicle wrangler
Steve Mahoney	....	vehicle co-ordinator

Other crew
Lance Anderson	....	safety officer
Tony Arapoglou	....	unit assistant
Jeremy Atcliffe	....	production accountant
Mark Barlow	....	unit assistant
Manuel Caracciolo	....	production runner (as Manny Caraccido)
Daniel F. Cardone	....	production secretary (as Daniel Cardone)
Stephen Carroll	....	assistant: director
Tom Coltraine	....	safety officer
Raymond Devitt	....	script editor
Luke Doolan	....	title designer
Angie Fielder	....	assistant: producer
Keith Fish	....	caterer
Max Fish	....	caterer
John Fox	....	armorer
Michele Freccero	....	script supervisor (as Mimi Freccero)
Serena Gattuso	....	production coordinator
Tony Gibbs	....	insurance: HW Wood
Danielle Karalus	....	epk & begind the scenes
Jo Kennedy	....	drama coach
Adrian Kortus	....	safety officer
Pam Kreuger	....	unit nurse
Sharon Menzies	....	representative: Fulcrum Media Finance
Linda Micsko	....	assistant to producer
Kim Millerick	....	film dailies processing: Deluxe Malbourne
Sara Moroney	....	assistant accountant
Tom Noble	....	script consultant
Drew Rhodes	....	location manager
Jill Ryan	....	post production accountant (as Jill Dures)
Greg Saunders	....	drama coach
Jeremy Saunders	....	title designer
Emile Sherman	....	representative: Fulcrum Media Finance
Surya Slatter	....	caterer
Annette Smith	....	unit publicist
Corrie Soeterboek	....	completion guarantor: First Australian Completion Bond Company
Nina Stevenson	....	legal
Guy Sutherland	....	location assistant
Duncan Thompson	....	script editor
John Thompson	....	location assistant

Thanks
Tony Ayres	....	special thanks
Nick Batzias	....	special thanks
Alice Bell	....	special thanks
Sally Browning	....	special thanks
Jan Chapman	....	special thanks
Michael Cody	....	special thanks
Alexandre de Franceschi	....	thanks
Nash Edgerton	....	special thanks
Mirrah Foulkes	....	special thanks
Glendyn Ivin	....	special thanks
Keri Light	....	thanks
Charlotte Mickie	....	special thanks
Spencer Susser	....	special thanks
Paul Wiegard	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Porchlight Films
• Screen Australia (presents)
• Film Victoria (in association with)
• Screen NSW (in association with)
• Fulcrum Media Finance (in association with)
• Showtime Australia (in association with)

Distributors

• Maximum Films (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Madman Entertainment (2010) (New Zealand) (theatrical)
• ARP Sélection (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Mikado Film (2010) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Transformer (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Koch Media (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2010) (Finland) (all media)
• Seven Films (2011) (Greece) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (Argentina) (all media)

Other Companies

• ABC Melbourne  thanks
• Big Ears Productions  sound facility (as Big Ears)
• Blue-Tongue Films  special thanks
• Clever Types  post-production script
• Digital Pictures  telecine
• EFilm Australia  digital intermediate
• Encore Travel  travel agent
• Events Melbourne  thanks
• First Australian Completion Bond Company (FACB)  completion guaranty
• Food for Film  catering
• HW Wood  insurance
• McGregor Casting  casting
• Milan Records  soundtrack
• National Gallery of Victoria  thanks
• Proudly Productions  developed in association with
• Red Bee Media Australia  captions
• SJM Co-ordination  vehicle coordination
• Soundfirm Australia  sound mix & adr facility
• Spectrum Films  edit facility
• Supersonic  music mixing & producing
• Travbiz  travel agent

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, drug content and pervasive language

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #46054) | Australia:MA (2010) | Ireland:15A | New Zealand:R16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | UK:18 (DVD rating) | France:-12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Japan:PG12 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Porchlight Films

Trivia:

This movie holds the record for the most number of nominations garnered by a feature film at the Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, the number being eighteen.

Quotes:

Detective Randall Roache:Look I know you got a problem Janine, but I don't see how this mess your boys are in has got anything to do with me. So if you've called me in here to see if there are some strings I can pull in your way of course. Is that what this is about?
Janine Cody:Hey Randall, before you go on, this boy who's currently being looked after, tell me if you agree with this, this boy who's being looked after, he knows who you are. And you know how these things go they're gonna ask him all sorts of questions about everything he's ever seen or done...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (2011) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Pope's Lament

A triumph of Australian cinema.

I will be honest, I have always found it hard to get excited about seeing an Aussie movie. I'm of the general opinion that the Oz film industry is normally too wrapped up in being 'true blue' that they forget to make films with a universal theme and subsequently building an output that strays very little. Well hasn't 2010 proved me wrong. First there was the breath of fresh air that was Bran Nue Dae followed by the memorable American-set debut by Sydney director Andrew Lancaster, Accidents Happen, and the moving WWI drama Beneath Hill 60. Then, like the final dose of a patriotic inoculation to my anti-Oz entertainment views of old, comes first-timer David Michod's Sundance winning Animal Kingdom, gaining my first five-star rating for the year.

With nary a flaw to be found, this crime-drama unfolds at a terrifically slow-burning yet somehow exhilarating pace. The intricately detailed tale has been crafted with such care and dedication that every single frame seems to be oozing with importance, whilst the amazing soundtrack significantly adds to the immersive atmosphere. Drawing you in from the very first scene and never letting you go, you can't help but think about what happens long after the final credits roll. The ambitious movie-making and successful result is even more remarkable when you consider that Michod never resorts to gratuitousness (with violence or sex) or over-the-top, colourful personalities – fallback devices for many modern 'gangster' pictures – instead allowing his immaculately constructed story and deeply invested characters, all of whom share a layered relationship with one another, to sweep us away.

Jacki Weaver has received numerous critical plaudits for her unnerving performance as Grandma Smurf – a resourceful, persevering women who'll stop at nothing to protect her boys – and deservedly so; the powerful handle she has on her sons and her willingness to embrace the criminal environment is deeply disturbing and chilling. Also tremendous, and for me the acting highlight of the picture, is Mendelsohn. An eerily quiet felon that can explode into unhinged and desperate violence at any moment, the monstrous Pope commands every bit of our attention. Witnessing his calm exterior when being arrested by the cops for a heinous crime – either because he assumes he'll go free or because going to prison just doesn't faze him – is extraordinary. Elsewhere youngsters Frecheville and Ford do a commendable job holding their own against such an experienced cast; Stapleton is fascinating as the drug-fuelled middle sibling; adding class and impact as always is international star Pearce whilst the immensely talented Edgerton presents a likable and charismatic alternative as Cody family friend Barry.

A triumph of Australian cinema, this could very well be one of our nation's greatest.

5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)