Just watch it and have a great time, this movie really is something special. Thanks everyone for that!
The 'based on truth' telling of the heist and the lives of the guys involved would have been enough for a good movie. However, with the interspersed commentary from the actual people involved in the heist (the librarian included), this transcends into something quite excellent. A remarkable story and a wonderfully crafted movie.
American Animals isn't a heist movie, it's an anti-heist film because it strips away all of the bravado, posturing and machismo of gangland robberies and replaces that bullshit with the truth: four bored young men looking for an easy way out and not prepared for the repercussions they never could have foreseen. Brilliant directing, acting and story make this an easy film to recommend.
Wow, it's been a while since I've seen a movie, in the theater, with MoviePass. I guess they're finally making money off me. I'm back, re-energized, and glad I picked this to be my next watch. American Animals is the true story of four boys who got themselves into a bad situation. And by bad, it's stealing four books in hopes of something. They don't know what, just that doing it is something different from their menial lives, and it might make them rich. What makes this film so lovely is it's presentation of it's characters. It's part interviews, part recreation of the real events. How real? They actually call this out as a plot point. Spencer Reinhard says twice that he remembers the events differently from his friend, the ring leader, Warren Lipka, but they make this out as a crucial thing. They share both sides, but Spencer wonders if Warren was making up anything he was saying, further pushing the mystery of the story and questionable trust in each of their emotionally wrecked selves. Each of them are clouded by their own bias and viewpoints. Three of these kids don't even want to do the heist, while the in-over-his-head leader keeps persuading them to keep going. But once the heist happens, he breaks down just like the rest of them.
What I liked was there were no subplots or other nonsense clouding the focus of the story. It never jumps to other locations to see what other people's reactions were to what's going on, no filler with like the FBI investigating at their headquarters. What matters is the lead four's reception to what's going on. It puts in sub-textual perspective that they aren't thinking about real world consequences or their future with what they're doing. There's a great scene that keeps cutting between each of them, in their trance and mortified state after the heist is over, demonstrating the guilt and regret they're feeling for what they had done. They each snap at the same moment, but nothing what they each do matches physically or anything. They just all snap at the same time. There's this other little detail I like, before the first attempt at the heist happens, Spencer is sitting at a table and his pounding two little horse figures down repeatedly, making the sound of a tense heart beat. I could do commentary over the whole movie, but I want to wait for Bart Layton to do one on the Blu-ray. There's this little moment I caught where, okay, it's a montage of Spencer and Warren talking, but it keeps cutting between them in different locations, one of them sitting outside and another in the car. You know people sometimes bring back up conversations at later times. So, for this edit, Spencer is outside talking, but then his next line acts like he's in the car, and points up, saying, "Pull in here." It then cuts to him in the car at a gas station. It was a very quick motion, but very slick and thoughtful way of transitioning. The robbery is fast paced, heart pounding, and emotionally confusing twist of events. My heat felt like it was being physically stabbed repeatedly. I love Ole Bratt Birkeland's use of spinning camera motions, swerving back and forth to each character's reactions. This is a beautifully shot and orchestrated movie, you must check this out on the big screen.
Above all else, this is how you create a heist movie. It twists the genre a little, and understands how to subvert your expectations well, but I actually grew to care about the characters. Even if what they were enacting was morally wrong and illegal, the way this explores their heads in a clever and deeply relatable form, makes this a stand-out sleeper hit of 2018. One of the very best of the year.
Good movie. A very different story line and the way it is told makes for an absorbing watch.
Now that was a sound film with a good cast.
This is the first realistic heist movie. Loved that it’s not only about the heist but also about the way it affects the four protagonists, their families and the victim. The Ocean’s Eleven reference was perfect. Also, nice Reservoir Dogs reference. Not my favorite Tarantino either. Nobody wants to be Mr. Pink. Ever.
It is not based on a true story, it is a true story. The use of the real people is so awesome and cleverly done. It reminds you about the reality of the facts every time. Sure there are some things that may have been romanticized/faked by Warren. But it’s a four men story. And we see it clearly during the movie when they meet with the guy in New York. Warren and Spencer are just describing two different meetings.
The acting is crazy good too. It’s just crazy. Nothing else to say. Standing ovation for the actors.
You can also find a lot of really poetic moments like when the car drives in front of the real Spencer before the heist and at the very end from both perspective or when Spencer crosses the way of the flamingo.
The movie is a bit slow at some points but it builds up to be a 10 for me. Highly recommended even if I understand it can be a love or hate kind of movie.
An ok thing. Expected something different and got a well self reflecting trip.
Good movie. A very different story line and the way it is told makes for an absorbing watch.
I went in with the wrong expectations. This is more artsy movie than a heist movie. Its about a bunch of dumb asses planning a heist and reflecting on their choices in the future. You really have to be in the mood for watching this.
Good enough premise with some nice camerawork to transition scenes etc But some of the documentary style segments are over the top. I had trouble believing the real Warren wasn't completely acting with a defined script infront of him. The film should also be called "4 idiots". I had zero sympathy for any of them, although maybe that's not the point.
I think I'd rather have watched a full blown documentary. 6/10
"a dull great idea" seems the best way to describe what i watched.
1 / 2 directing & technical aspect
1 / 1 story
1 / 1 act I
0 / 1 act II
1 / 1 act III
1 / 1 acting
1 / 1 writing
0 / 1 originality
0 / 1 lasting ability to make you think
0 / 1 misc
6 out of 10
The most interesting part of this film was the commentary based on the people that were really there. In that sense it very much reminded me of the fantastic documentary "Evil Genius".
https://IHateBadMovies.com
I really enjoyed the use of the real life people and how it is interwoven into the narrative. It makes this movie feel unique. It doesn't glamorize the heist as much as other heist movies and shows some of the side effects it can cause on the people. It did feel a little too long and it was slow at times. Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan and Blake Jenner are all great and I love seeing more Ann Dowd.
An unabashed look at the hubris of the human species.
Shout by pntjrBlockedParentSpoilers2018-06-12T03:58:18Z— updated 2020-01-07T17:42:37Z
★★★★½
I went into this expecting a bad over-stylized white fratboy heist movie retread but i got something much sweeter.
Everything about this film centers on the facades that we put on every day in order to not just impress other people, but simply to be different. We're influenced so much by media and it freaking drowns us into us creating our own characters and telling our own stories that aren't necessarily true, but fit the narratives that we have in our brains to align with the facade.
This film is the most ANTI heist movie I've ever seen, as we not only watch the heist horrifyingly play out, but afterwords we REALLY see the effects of how it not only affected the criminals, but their victims and their families as well. It chokes their psyches. Really gave me Boogie Nights climax vibes. Sure, it is all straight white males performing this crime, but what it has to SAY about that is really interesting. They're fucking American Animals.
Great movie. Not Paddington 2 great, but still great.