It's awards season and with all the big-name prestige pics like Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty and Movie 43 elbowing each other for the spotlight, it's easy to miss this one, despite it being up for Best Picture. Beasts of the Southern Wild (not to be confused with Breasts of the Southern Wild, a DVD that probably already exists) has been nominated for 4 Oscars, including Lead Actress for 9 year old Quvenzhané Wallis, who has become the youngest actress to ever be up for the award. Unfortunately, I don't think BotSW will win much, but then again, it ain't all about awards is it?
Beasts of the Southern Wild is the story of 5 year old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis), an imaginative child who acts as our narrator as she relays her life in The Bathtub, a Louisiana bayou community cut off from the mainland by a levee. We see her deal with her temperamental father, Wink (Dwight Henry) and threats that may change life in The Bathtub forever.
On the surface, BotSW is exactly the sort of film you'd expect an Oscar outsider to be. We have an innocent child narrator, a portrayal of a way of life free of modern toss like Facebook notifications, council tax and iPad minis and a fantastical edge to it all,giving everything a dream-like quality. With all those elements in play, you would be forgiven for rolling your eyes and rewatching the first Transformers film. BotSW is better than the sum of its parts though. Firstly, we have an amazing and naturalistic central performance from Quvenzhané Wallis, who carries the film on her small shoulders. I think she may be the best child actor I've ever seen. Hushpuppy is a firecracker, going from daydreaming her way around the farm to scowling like a caged beast. Her relationship with Wink is fantastically done and genuinely touching. Wink is quick to anger and aloof at times, but undeniably cares about Hushpuppy. Dwight Henry keeps the character always teetering on the brink of struggling father and unfeeling arsehole, but never tips over. There's a fantastic scene where Wink runs out into torrential rain, blasting his shotgun and yelling in an effort to pick a fight with the storm to allay Hushpuppy's fears. Wink's a complex man who will have you questioning just how to react to him throughout the course of the film.
The lyrical quality of the language used is the first thing that struck me about the film. As soon as the film opens, we see Hushpuppy listening to various animals' heartbeats, with her voiceover saying: “All the time, everywhere, everything's hearts are beating and squirting, and talking to each other the ways I can't understand. Most of the time they probably be saying: “I'm hungry”, or “I gotta poop”. But sometimes they be talkin' in codes.” There's something about it that makes the dialogue a joy to listen to and gives it the ability to blindside you with some truly affecting bits, especially when Hushpuppy is trying to deal with and explain some big concepts. There's a real sense of impending doom that hangs over Hushpuppy's head and therefore the film.
I suppose if I had to criticise the film, I'd say it's pretty heavy-handed with both the drama and its overall messages at times. There are some moments that are really effective and are guaranteed to make you think. However, there are others that over-egg the drama so much that it broke my immersion. These aren't glaring flaws though. Just little anomalous bits that didn't fit in with the rest of the film. It's worth saying that the cinematography of this film is beautiful. Marvel at some of the images here. Just wow.
I really enjoyed Beasts of the Southern Wild. It's a well told story relayed to us by the most kick-ass kid ever. I'd love for her to win the Oscar. It may even restore my faith in the overblown Academy. Anyway- highly recommended.
Ben Browne
Rating: 12
DVD/BD Release Date:11th February 2013 (UK)
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly
Buy Beasts Of The Southern Wild: Blu-ray
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