Director: Benh
Zeitlin
Writers: Lucy
Alibar, Benh Zeitlin
Stars: Quevenzhane
Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly
Fantasy/Drama
The audience collectively gasped when the trailer for this
film premiered in our local art theater. Ouvenzane (Nazie) Wallis can captivate
an audience with just a few words or a glance. This young lady may be a novice
actress, but she certainly has the presence to reach others’ emotions. I was stunned to learn after seeing the film
that this is Wallis’ breakout role. Seldom do skilled actors serve as ably as
either the narrator or main character for a film of this scope. Ms. Wallis
managed both.
At five, Wallis snuck into the library where the auditions
for her role would be. Her mother knew the part was slated for children six to
nine, but the rules were changed when she defeated 4,000 other children for the
role.
The film’s about Hushpuppy, a six-year-old girl who lives on
the wrong side of a levee in Louisiana. Hushpuppy lives in a near-primordial
world, ruled in part by a six-year-old’s perceived mixture of science and
fantasy.
Wallis isn’t the only newbie performer. Dwight Henry, who
plays Hushpuppy’s father, Wink, is also a novice actor. Generally, if you’re
going to put a beginner in such a high-profile role, you give them a veteran to
support. This was quite a risk in today’s film-making environment which relies
heavily on the tried-and-true and formulaic. Their onscreen portrayal is
anything but beginner level. Sometimes frightening, sometimes tear-inducing.
Both performers are people to watch. I expect to see the film and cast up for
several awards.
Benh Zeitlin, who both directed and co-wrote this film along
with his summer-camp friend, Lucy Alibar, is in no small part to praise for the
success of the script. When he and Wallis went over the script, he allowed her
to mark out words which didn’t seem right. If she was going to say the words
for him, he let her own them.
Dan Romer’s soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment. Whether
we’re seeing schoolchildren’s lessons or a hurricane rising, the music manages
to hit the right notes without overshadowing the acting. The sound’s poetic,
resonating the flavor of Louisiana’s Cajun country.
For a film which took less than 2M to make, everything fits
seamlessly and feels of much finer quality than epics costing many times more. Probably
the best aspect of Beasts is how much
it makes you think about the world afterward. This is not a film you can simply
watch and stow away in your memory. Beasts
of the Southern Wild is not just about survival in one of the harshest
areas of the planet, it’s about sticking together as a community. Hushpuppy
talks often about the universe and the rules that guide it in a very holistic
manner. Lessons abound for all of us if we’re only willing to listen.
I do not recommend this film for small children. There’s
violence, language, and difficult situations. Even adults need tissues through
various scenes. One thing I will say about Beasts
of the Southern Wild is that you won’t forget the story anytime soon, and
you won’t think lightly of our ecosystem, either. I’m hoping that Wallis will
be the youngest nominee for Best Actress and I believe Henry, Zeitlin, and
Romer will receive nominations (if not awards) as well.
Rebecca McFarland Kyle, August 2012
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