Animals: NZIFF Review

Animals: NZIFF Review

52 Tuesdays director Sophia Hyde heads to Dublin for this tale of female friendship in among the arty sector.

Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat are best mates, Laura and Tyler. Laura's been trying to write a book for nigh on 10 years now and has as many pages as she's spent years doing it. Tyler, a barista, spends her days waiting for the nights, disappearing into a haze of booze and friendly banter, as well as flirtatious talk at parties.

But when Laura meets Fra Fee's Jim, a talented pianist, she falls for his talent and his charms, throwing a spanner in the works of the hedonistic partnership.

Hyde's Animals has a vibrant energy to start off with, but it soon falls away, leaving Grainger to take the lead where really it should be Shawkat's character who comes into the spotlight.

There's an empowerment in place here, but in all honesty, the familiarity of the story arc prevents the film from truly transcending.

What is obvious though is the impressive performances of both Grainger and Shawkat who remain eminently watchable throughout, even if the film feels like its petering out before it's even begun.

The bottom line with Animals is that it's perfectly pleasant, but ultimately ends up being somewhat forgettable, dampening down its opening fire with fare that feels too familiar and underused to linger a long time in the after memory.