Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Beasts of the Southern Wild
2012
***
Director: Behn Zeitlin
Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Philip Lawrence, Gina Montana, Lowell Landes, Jonshel Alexander, Marilyn Barbarin

Six-year-old Hushpuppy and her angry, ailing father Wink live in the Bathtub, a dirt-poor community on the Louisiana coast. When a Katrina-like storm breaks the levee, the Bathtub is flooded and poisoned, but the disaster is not able to destroy the will and spirit of its inhabitants. Behn Zeitlin's magic realist debut follows in the footsteps of Terrence Malick. It's an environmentally conscious and visually arresting portrayal of the delicate bond people have with their habitat. The non-professional cast gives this story a heightened sense of authenticity. What the film lacks, though, is a strong narrative pull. The dreamy drama drifts along and features a less than believable cast of characters who all seem to speak in little nuggets of wisdom. Based on Lucy Alibar's play Juicy and Delicious.