American Animals

Last updated

American Animals
American Animals.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bart Layton
Written byBart Layton
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyOle Bratt Birkeland
Edited by
  • Nick Fenton
  • Chris Gill
  • Julian Hart
Music byAnne Nikitin
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • January 19, 2018 (2018-01-19)(Sundance)
  • June 1, 2018 (2018-06-01)(United States)
  • September 7, 2018 (2018-09-07)(United Kingdom)
Running time
116 minutes [1]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States [2]
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4.1 million [3]

American Animals is a 2018 docudrama heist film written and directed by Bart Layton. Starring Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson, and Ann Dowd, it is an account of the Transylvania University book heist which took place at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky in 2004. [4] The film cuts between interview segments of the real-life people involved in the heist and actors playing out the same events.

Contents

American Animals premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2018. The film was theatrically released in the United States on June 1, 2018, by The Orchard and MoviePass Ventures. [5] Among other awards the film won the Junior Jury Award at The Montclair Film Festival. It received generally favorable reviews from critics, particularly for its screenplay, acting, use of unreliable narrators, and an unconventional storytelling structure that fused real-life characters and actors representing those characters.

Plot

Spencer Reinhard, an art student seeking excitement or tragedy for inspiration, is given a tour of Transylvania University library's rare-book collection; his eye is drawn to a rare first edition of John James Audubon's Birds of America . He and his friend Warren Lipka, a rebellious student on an athletic scholarship at the University of Kentucky, discuss the possibility of stealing it and other rare books. [6] They note that the collection is guarded by only one librarian, whom they believe they could easily overpower before stealing the books and escaping via the staff elevator. Warren travels to Amsterdam to meet black-market buyers who express interest, informing Spencer they could make millions. They later enlist the help of two friends: Eric Borsuk to provide logistics and Chas Allen as the getaway driver.

They make an appointment for a private viewing of the collection in order to gain access to the room, and arrive disguised as elderly businessmen; but they abort the heist when Warren sees multiple librarians in the room. Spencer wants to abandon the plan, but Warren persuades him and the others to try again the next day. Spencer acts as a lookout as Warren and Eric, without disguises, enter the library. Warren clumsily uses a stun gun on the librarian, making Eric help restrain her. They blunder to the exit, dropping The Birds of America, but escape with two books.

The group travels to Christie's auction house in New York to get the authentication of value Warren said the Dutch buyers required. Spencer is told he has to return the next day and leaves his cell phone number with an assistant. Chas berates Spencer for using a phone number that can be identified as his, and they return to Lexington with the books. Shortly after, Spencer realizes the police will also be able to trace the email address they used to make the appointments with Christie's and the library; the FBI eventually does, and they are arrested.

In documentary interviews with the real-life thieves filmed years after they are released from prison, they express regret. Spencer suspects Warren lied about going to Amsterdam in order to convince the others to partake in the heist. Eric and Chas now live in California as a writer and a fitness coach, respectively; Warren studies filmmaking in Philadelphia; and Spencer lives in Lexington as an artist.

Cast

Warren Lipka, Spencer Reinhard, Chas Allen, Eric Borsuk and Betty Jean Gooch all appear as themselves, along with Reinhard's parents, Allen's mother, Lipka's father, and one of the culprits' teachers. [7]

Additionally, Gary Basaraba and Lara Grice portray Warren's parents, Jane McNeill portrays Spencer's mother, and Whitney Goin portrays Chas's mother. Wayne Duvall appears as Coach Bill Welton.

Production

Filming began in Charlotte, North Carolina, in February 2017. Many of the scenes were filmed on campus at Davidson College. [8] [9] [10] [11] The title comes from Eric Borsuk's memoir, which derives its name from a passage in On the Origin of Species , one of the books stolen by the gang, about animals dwelling in the cave systems of Kentucky; [12] this quote is featured at the beginning of the film.

The film blurs elements of fiction and documentary, with the real-life versions of people depicted occasionally appearing alongside the actors in scripted scenes, and different versions of the same scene shown to reflect different accounts of events by the participants.

Soundtrack

The score and themes were composed by Anne Nikitin. Other songs include: [13] [14]

Release

It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2018. [5] The film's distribution rights were purchased by The Orchard and MoviePass Ventures for US$3 million. It was released on June 1, 2018. [15] [16]

Box office

In its opening weekend the film made US$140,629 from four theaters (an average of US$35,157), finishing 24th. [17] According to their own reports, MoviePass members made up 25–35% of the film's opening weekend audience. Speaking about American Animals, as well as MoviePass Ventures' other film Gotti , one independent studio head told Deadline Hollywood : "It used to be in distribution, we'd all gossip whether a studio was buying tickets to their own movie to goose their opening. But in the case of MoviePass, there's no secret: They're literally buying the tickets to their own movie!" [18]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 88% based on 215 reviews, and an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "American Animals tangles with a number of weighty themes, but never at the expense of delivering a queasily compelling true crime thriller." [19] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [20]

There was a controversy about Rotten Tomatoes audience approval for the film Gotti. Rotten Tomatoes staff issued a statement stating they didn't find any evidence of tampering and that "All of the ratings and reviews were left by active accounts." In June 2018, it was noted that 32 of the 54 written reviews were found to be from first-time reviewers on the site, who had also only left a review for Gotti itself, and 45 of the accounts were created the same month. Many of the accounts also wrote a review for the positively praised American Animals, which along with Gotti are the only films to be owned by MoviePass through its company MoviePass Ventures, which was responsible for 40% of tickets sold. Jim Vorel of Paste suggested this was done to try to prop up MoviePass's "unlimited movies" business model.

Accolades

Layton won the Special Jury Prize at the Deauville American Film Festival [21] and won Best Screenplay from the Writers' Guild of Great Britain. [22] At the British Independent Film Awards, American Animals won for Best Debut Screenwriter and Best Editing. [23] At the Montclair Film Festival, the film won the Junior Jury Award. [24] The film also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Editing. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vera Farmiga</span> American actress (born 1973)

Vera Ann Farmiga is an American actress. Farmiga began her professional acting career on stage in the original Broadway production of Taking Sides (1996). After expanding to television and film, Farmiga's breakthrough came in 2004 with her starring role as a drug addict in the drama Down to the Bone. She received praise for starring in the 2009 comedy-drama Up in the Air, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Octavia Spencer</span> American actress

Octavia Lenora Spencer is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blake Jenner</span> American actor

Blake Alexander Jenner is an American actor. Jenner won the second season of Oxygen's The Glee Project and, as a result, portrayed Ryder Lynn on the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. He has since had starring and supporting roles in Everybody Wants Some!! (2016), The Edge of Seventeen (2016), American Animals (2018), and What/If (2019).

MoviePass, Inc. is an American subscription-based movie ticketing service owned by co-founder Stacy Spikes.

<i>Hell or High Water</i> (film) 2016 film by David Mackenzie

Hell or High Water is a 2016 American neo-Western crime drama film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan. It follows two brothers who carry out a series of bank robberies to save their family ranch, while being pursued by two Texas Rangers. It was the final film produced by OddLot Entertainment before its dissolution in 2015.

<i>3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets</i> 2015 American film

3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets, also known as 3 1/2 Minutes, is a 2015 American documentary film written and directed by Marc Silver. The film is based on the events surrounding the 2012 murder of Jordan Russell Davis and examines the shooting itself, as well as the subsequent trial, media coverage and protests that resulted from the shooting.

<i>The Catcher Was a Spy</i> (film) 2018 American film by Ben Lewin

The Catcher Was a Spy is a 2018 American war film directed by Ben Lewin and written by Robert Rodat, based on the book of the same name by Nicholas Dawidoff. It stars Paul Rudd as Moe Berg, a former baseball player who joined the war effort during World War II and participated in espionage for the U.S. Government. Mark Strong, Sienna Miller, Jeff Daniels, Tom Wilkinson, Giancarlo Giannini, Hiroyuki Sanada, Guy Pearce, and Paul Giamatti also star. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and was released on June 22, 2018, by IFC Films.

<i>Wind River</i> (film) 2017 film by Taylor Sheridan

Wind River is a 2017 neo-Western crime film written and directed by Taylor Sheridan. It is the third film by Sheridan on the modern American West. The film stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent, respectively, who try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, and Graham Greene also star.

<i>Oceans 8</i> 2018 heist film by Gary Ross

Ocean's Eight is a 2018 American heist comedy film directed by Gary Ross and written by Ross and Olivia Milch. The film is both a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's series, and the fourth installment thereof. The film features an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. The film follows a group of women led by Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, who plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

<i>Fun Mom Dinner</i> 2017 film by Alethea Jones

Fun Mom Dinner is a 2017 American comedy film directed by Alethea Jones, from a screenplay by Julie Rudd. It stars Katie Aselton, Toni Collette, Bridget Everett, Molly Shannon, Adam Scott, and Adam Levine.

<i>Gotti</i> (2018 film) 2018 film by Kevin Connolly

Gotti is a 2018 American biographical crime film about New York City mobster John Gotti, directed by Kevin Connolly and written by Lem Dobbs and Leo Rossi. It stars John Travolta as Gotti, alongside his real-life wife Kelly Preston as Gotti's wife Victoria in her penultimate film.

<i>A Ghost Story</i> 2017 American film

A Ghost Story is a 2017 American supernatural drama film written and directed by David Lowery and starring Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, and Will Oldham. It is about a man who becomes a ghost and remains in the house he shared with his wife.

<i>Dont Worry, He Wont Get Far on Foot</i> 2018 film directed by Gus Van Sant

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot is a 2018 American comedy drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and based upon the memoir of the same name by John Callahan. The cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, and Jack Black, and follows a recently paralyzed alcoholic who finds a passion for drawing off-color newspaper cartoons.

<i>Burning Sands</i> (2017 film) 2017 American film

Burning Sands is a 2017 American drama film, directed by Gerard McMurray, from a screenplay by McMurray and Christine Berg. It stars Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Steve Harris, Tosin Cole, DeRon Horton and Trevante Rhodes.

<i>Deidra & Laney Rob a Train</i> 2017 American film

Deidra & Laney Rob a Train is an American comedy drama crime film directed by Sydney Freeland, from a screenplay by Shelby Farrell. It stars Ashleigh Murray, Rachel Crow, Tim Blake Nelson, David Sullivan, Danielle Nicolet and Sasheer Zamata.

<i>Come Sunday</i> (film) 2018 film by Joshua Marston

Come Sunday is a 2018 American drama film directed by Joshua Marston and written by Marcus Hinchey, based on "Heretics", a 2005 episode of the radio show This American Life. It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Carlton Pearson, an evangelist minister who was ostracized by his church and excommunicated for preaching that there is no Hell. Jason Segel, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield, Stacey Sargeant, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Danny Glover, and Martin Sheen also star.

<i>Leave No Trace</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Debra Granik

Leave No Trace is a 2018 American drama film directed by Debra Granik. The film is written by Granik and Anne Rosellini, based on Peter Rock's 2009 novel My Abandonment, which is based on a true story. The plot follows a military veteran father with post-traumatic stress disorder who lives in the forest with his young daughter.

<i>Mandy</i> (2018 film) Film by Panos Cosmatos

Mandy is a 2018 action psychedelic horror film directed by Panos Cosmatos, produced by Elijah Wood and co-written by Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn based on a story Cosmatos conceived. A co-production of the United States and Belgium, the film stars Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy, Olwen Fouéré, Richard Brake, and Bill Duke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aneesh Chaganty</span> American film director and screenwriter

Aneesh Chaganty is an American film director and screenwriter. He made his feature film directorial debut with the 2018 thriller Searching, for which he won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

The Transylvania University book heist, also known as the Transy book heist, was the theft of rare books from the library of Transylvania University in December 2004.

References

  1. ↑ "American Animals". Sundance Film Festival . The Sundance Institute. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  2. ↑ Lodge, Guy (January 19, 2018). "Film Review: 'American Animals'". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "American Animals (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  4. ↑ Lee, Chris (June 1, 2018). "The Real-life Heist Caper Behind American Animals". Vulture. New York Media. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Debruge, Peter (November 29, 2017). "Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  6. ↑ Scott, A. O., "In ‘American Animals,’ These Guys Didn’t Visit the Library to Study" Archived June 13, 2020, at the Wayback Machine , The New York Times , May 30, 2018.
  7. ↑ Lodge, Guy (January 19, 2018). "Sundance Film Review: 'American Animals'". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  8. ↑ Janes, Théoden (March 3, 2017). "About that movie being shot in Charlotte right now..." The Charlotte Observer . Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  9. ↑ Lee, Cameron (February 15, 2017). "Indie film "American Animals" starring Evan Peters and Blake Jenner being shot in Charlotte". CLTure. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  10. ↑ Mitchell, Robert (February 9, 2017). "Blake Jenner, Four Others Join Evan Peters in Indie Heist Film 'American Animals'". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on June 30, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  11. ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (November 1, 2016). "Evan Peters To Star In Bart Layton's Heist Pic 'American Animals'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  12. ↑ Paul H Barrett (May 23, 2016). The Works of Charles Darwin: Vol 15: On the Origin of Species, (First Edition, 1859). Routledge. p. 100. ISBN   978-1-315-47704-6. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  13. ↑ "American Animals Soundtrack". Spotify. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  14. ↑ "American Animals Soundtrack". TuneFind. Archived from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  15. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 14, 2018). "The Orchard & MoviePass Ventures To Unleash Sundance Acquisition 'American Animals' This Summer". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  16. ↑ Lang, Brent (January 24, 2018). "Sundance: MoviePass, The Orchard Buy 'American Animals'". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  17. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 3, 2018). "'Solo' Hits Asteroid With $29M-$30M; 'Action Point' Condemned To $2M+: Post-Memorial Day Blues At The B.O." Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  18. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 17, 2018). "MoviePass Reps 40% Of 'Gotti's $1.67M Opening As Critics Slaughter John Travolta Mob Pic". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  19. ↑ "American Animals (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  20. ↑ "American Animals Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  21. ↑ "2018 | 44th edition". Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Writers' Guild Awards 2019". Writers' Guild of Great Britain. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Winners & Nominations · BIFA · 2018". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. October 29, 2018. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  24. ↑ "MFF18 Award Winners Announced". montclairfilm.org. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  25. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 16, 2018). "2019 Spirit Award Nominations: 'We The Animals' Tops With Five, A24 Leads All Distributors, Studio Classic Labels Come Up Short". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.