Wildlife (film)

Wildlife

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2018 (2018)
Founder	Paul Dano (director and co-producer), Jake Gyllenhaal (co-producer)
Key people	Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould, Bill Camp, Zoe Kazan (screenwriter)
Products	Drama film

Wildlife is a 2018 American drama marking the directorial debut of Paul Dano, who also co-produced the film. The screenplay, penned by Dano alongside Zoe Kazan, is an adaptation of Richard Ford's 1990 novel. The principal cast features Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal (who also served as co-producer), Ed Oxenbould, and Bill Camp.

The movie had its first screening at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018, followed by a limited theatrical release across the United States on October 19, 2018. Critics praised Dano’s direction and highlighted the compelling performances delivered by Mulligan, Gyllenhaal, and Oxenbould. Wildlife garnered three nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards, including Best First Feature and Best Female Lead for Mulligan.

Plot

Set in 1960, Jeannette and Jerry Brinson relocate to Great Falls, Montana with their adolescent son Joe. After Jerry loses his position as a golf professional at a country club, he refuses to seek reemployment out of pride, opting instead to sleep in his car while observing firefighters combating a nearby wildfire. To provide for the family, Jeannette takes on a role as a swimming instructor after an unsuccessful attempt to teach at a school. Meanwhile, Joe leaves the football team to work part-time at a local photography studio. Eventually, Jerry accepts a low-wage firefighting job, which causes concern for both Jeannette and Joe.

Jeannette cautions Joe that they might need to reduce their living expenses and introduces him to Warren Miller, a wealthy car dealership owner who offers her employment. Jeannette increasingly spends time with Miller and expresses her dissatisfaction with Jerry. One evening, Miller dances with an intoxicated Jeannette, kisses her, and stays overnight at their residence—an affair that Joe uncovers. Jeannette confesses that this relationship will improve their financial situation but asks Joe for an alternative solution; he is unable to provide one. When Joe tries to leave by bus amid snowfall signaling the wildfire’s containment, he ultimately returns home.

Jerry comes back to find Jeannette renting an apartment and Joe allowed to stay with her. Suspecting Jeannette’s affair, Jerry confronts her and drunkenly attempts to set fire to Miller’s house but is stopped by Miller himself. Injured from the altercation, Jerry asks Joe for assistance in evading the police; however, Joe notifies the authorities instead but discovers Jerry has not been arrested. Jerry tells Joe that Miller chose not to press charges but confirms that his marriage has ended.

Jeannette relocates to Portland, Oregon to pursue teaching while Joe remains with Jerry, who has become a successful salesman. Jeannette returns for a strained family reunion and learns that Joe has received a promotion and made the honor roll. The family gathers for one final portrait at the photography studio, symbolizing closure despite underlying tensions.

Development

In July 2016, it was announced that Paul Dano would adapt Richard Ford's novel into a screenplay co-written with Zoe Kazan, both of whom did not appear as actors in the film. Dano described the narrative as aligned with his interest in exploring familial relationships and indicated this project would be the first installment in a series centered on dysfunctional families. The production was managed by June Pictures alongside Nine Stories Productions. By September 2016, it was confirmed that Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan would lead the cast. The musical score was composed by American musician David Lang.

Filming

The main shooting took place in Montana and Oklahoma, with Oklahoma selected as a filming location due to concerns over Montana's winter climate.

Release

The movie debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018. Soon after, IFC Films secured the distribution rights for North America. It was subsequently shown at the Cannes Film Festival on May 9, 2018, and later featured at the Toronto International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, and New Orleans Film Festival. The United States release date for Wildlife was October 19, 2018.

Critical response

On the review platform Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average score of . The consensus among critics reads: "Wildlife's depiction of a family undergoing turmoil is artfully crafted by director Paul Dano and brought to life through a career-defining performance by Carey Mulligan." According to Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average of 80 out of 100 from 41 critics, reflecting "generally favorable reviews."

The New York Times reviewer Glenn Kenny described Wildlife as a "superb film," commending its "outstanding" ensemble cast and Mulligan’s exceptional portrayal. He identified Oxenbould as "a promising talent" and praised Dano’s "careful" direction complemented by Diego Garcia’s striking cinematography. Kenny viewed the film as a powerful team effort and an impressive directorial debut.

Brian Tallerico from RogerEbert.com rated the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, highlighting it as a skillful and emotionally impactful work enhanced by Dano’s assured direction and compelling acting. Owen Gleiberman of Variety awarded it 4 out of 5 stars, describing Dano as "a naturally gifted filmmaker" with a knack for refined and understated visual storytelling.

David Edelstein at Vulture gave the film full marks, calling it "superb" and lauding Dano for giving performers room to develop genuine rhythms that sustain the movie’s emotional depth. Jordan Hoffman of The Guardian gave a three-star rating out of five, labeling it a quiet and nuanced narrative that serves as a platform for strong acting performances typical of an actor’s first directorial effort.

Criterion release

On February 14, 2020, The Criterion Collection announced the DVD and Blu-ray release of the film. This edition includes interviews with director Paul Dano, screenwriter Zoe Kazan, actors Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal, cinematographer Diego García, production designer Akin McKenzie, and costume designer Amanda Ford. Additional features include conversations about postproduction with Dano, editor Matthew Hannam, and composer David Lang; a 2018 dialogue at Film at Lincoln Center between Dano and novelist Richard Ford; plus a booklet containing an essay by critic Mark Harris.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
2018	Cannes Film Festival	Caméra d'Or	Wildlife	Template:Nom
2018	Sundance Film Festival	Grand Jury Prize	Paul Dano	Template:Nom
2019	Broadcast Film Critics Association	Best Young Performer	Ed Oxenbould	Template:Nom
2019	Independent Spirit Awards	Best Female Lead	Carey Mulligan	Template:Nom
			Best First Feature	Paul Dano	Template:Nom
			Best Cinematography	Diego Garcia	Template:Nom
2018	BFI London Film Festival	First Feature	Wildlife	Template:Nom
2018	Torino Film Festival	Best Feature Film	Paul Dano	Template:Won
2018	Zurich Film Festival	Best International Feature Film	Wildlife	Template:Nom
2018	Las Vegas Film Critics Society	Best Film	Wildlife	9th Place
			Youth in Film - Male	Ed Oxenbould	Template:Won

External links

• "Wildlife: Defining What It Is and What It Is Not" – analysis by Mark Harris featured on the Criterion Collection