American Animals
Evan Peters (X-Men: Apocalypse) and The Killing of a Sacred Deer's Barry Keoghan star in this true story heist thriller, told in part by the actual men who committed the crime. Nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. From the director of 2012's The Imposter.
Four university students (Peters, Keoghan, Blake Jenner, and Jared Abrahamson) living an ordinary existence brazenly attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in US history. But not everything is as it seems, and as the daring theft unfolds through each of their perspectives, each of them starts to question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives is simply a misguided attempt at achieving the American Dream.
- Director:
- Bart Layton ('The Imposter', 'Locked Up Abroad', 'Becoming Alexander')
- Writer:
- Bart Layton
- Cast:
- Evan PetersBarry KeoghanBlake JennerJared AbrahamsonAnn DowdUdo KierGary BasarabaLara Grice
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Luke Buckmaster
flicksThe answer to the question “what is the difference between a narrative feature film and a documentary” might ordinarily seem rather elementary. But British director Bart Layton, following up his intensely gripping 2012 doco-thriller The Imposter, shrewdly complicates matters in the fascinating American Animals, recounting an idiotic heist attempted by a handful of Transylvania University students in 2003. Is this a documentary with narrative elements, or a narrative feature that incorporates documentary?
Flicks, Matt Glasby
flicksSo indie I can't believe this is a true story
The best feature of this movie is the way in which it's told. The commentary is great. It seems as if it's unscripted but I expect it is. The events unfold as narrated by the heist meisters. The real players from the story appear and give their spin on the events. The main protagonist is larger than life and seems very likeable. You can see how it all...
Engrossing Docu-Drama
An excellent exploration of what can only be labelled an ill-conceived, poorly executed art heist. Excellent character portrayal and close, claustrophobic cinematography keep the story tight and interesting. The splicing of real interviews with the dramatized story works well. Considering this was supposed to be a life-changing event, the memories of the...
An interesting blend of reality and fiction... of documentary and crime-thrillers?
Surprisingly, it works, and it works well. My favourite part of this film is not its "real story" narrative, nor its well-suited soundtrack (featuring singles from Leonard Cohen, Donovan, The Doors, etc.), it isn't the fact that life lessons (I wouldn't really go as far as emphasising the philosophical aspect of the film as some critics have done, because...
Variety
pressA riveting college-boy crime caper that tiggers along on pure movie-movie adrenaline, before U-turning into a sobering reflection on young male privilege and entitlement.
The New York Times
pressThere is something soulless and mechanical about "American Animals," as if it had been made by a Martin Scorsese smartphone app and scored to a Spotify classic rock playlist.
Stuff
pressAll in all, American Animals is at once a stylish thriller and an insightful documentary.
Screen Daily
pressA supremely-crafted doc/fiction hybrid which is genuinely innovative, pleasingly entertaining and deliciously more than the sum of its parts.
Rolling Stone
pressThe holes in the script are a pesky issue, but filmmaker Bart Layton's blend of recreations and real-life participants commenting on the action gives this true-crime comedy an edge.
New Zealand Herald
pressWhat initially appears to be a slight, if entertaining, true-crime heist romp, in fact, hides untold depths in a muscular offering from The Imposter director Bart Layton.
Los Angeles Times
pressWhile the participants in "American Animals" only imagine they're different, the film about them is the real deal.
Collider
pressThe heist genre is one that's been done to death, but with American Animals, filmmaker Bart Layton manages to pull off something wholly unique.
Flicks, Luke Buckmaster
flicksThe answer to the question “what is the difference between a narrative feature film and a documentary” might ordinarily seem rather elementary. But British director Bart Layton, following up his intensely gripping 2012 doco-thriller The Imposter, shrewdly complicates matters in the fascinating American Animals, recounting an idiotic heist attempted by a handful of Transylvania University students in 2003. Is this a documentary with narrative elements, or a narrative feature that incorporates documentary?
Flicks, Matt Glasby
flicksVariety
pressA riveting college-boy crime caper that tiggers along on pure movie-movie adrenaline, before U-turning into a sobering reflection on young male privilege and entitlement.
The New York Times
pressThere is something soulless and mechanical about "American Animals," as if it had been made by a Martin Scorsese smartphone app and scored to a Spotify classic rock playlist.
Stuff
pressAll in all, American Animals is at once a stylish thriller and an insightful documentary.
Screen Daily
pressA supremely-crafted doc/fiction hybrid which is genuinely innovative, pleasingly entertaining and deliciously more than the sum of its parts.
Rolling Stone
pressThe holes in the script are a pesky issue, but filmmaker Bart Layton's blend of recreations and real-life participants commenting on the action gives this true-crime comedy an edge.
New Zealand Herald
pressWhat initially appears to be a slight, if entertaining, true-crime heist romp, in fact, hides untold depths in a muscular offering from The Imposter director Bart Layton.
Los Angeles Times
pressWhile the participants in "American Animals" only imagine they're different, the film about them is the real deal.
Collider
pressThe heist genre is one that's been done to death, but with American Animals, filmmaker Bart Layton manages to pull off something wholly unique.
So indie I can't believe this is a true story
The best feature of this movie is the way in which it's told. The commentary is great. It seems as if it's unscripted but I expect it is. The events unfold as narrated by the heist meisters. The real players from the story appear and give their spin on the events. The main protagonist is larger than life and seems very likeable. You can see how it...
Engrossing Docu-Drama
An excellent exploration of what can only be labelled an ill-conceived, poorly executed art heist. Excellent character portrayal and close, claustrophobic cinematography keep the story tight and interesting. The splicing of real interviews with the dramatized story works well. Considering this was supposed to be a life-changing event, the memories of...
An interesting blend of reality and fiction... of documentary and crime-thrillers?
Surprisingly, it works, and it works well. My favourite part of this film is not its "real story" narrative, nor its well-suited soundtrack (featuring singles from Leonard Cohen, Donovan, The Doors, etc.), it isn't the fact that life lessons (I wouldn't really go as far as emphasising the philosophical aspect of the film as some critics have done,...
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