We the Animals

Jeremiah Zagar provides a really fascinating look at childhood in his latest film We the Animals. Three brothers Jonah (Evan Rosado), Joel (Josiah Gabriel), and Manny (Isaiah Kristian) are growing up in a violent household. Their mom (Sheila Vand) and dad (Raul Casillo) have a turbulent relationship and struggle to make ends meet in blue collar jobs. The film touches on many topics like childhood, family dynamics, class, and self discovery. Jonah is the main fixture of the film. We follow him as he plays with his brothers and watches his parents self-destruct. We’re also in on his journey of self-discovery in terms of his sexuality. There is a levitating scene and it gets kind of meta for a moment. But it’s only briefly so I think most people should be able to handle it. You feel for the children who are put in a perilous situation, as their parents who are unable to take care of themselves, attempt to take care of the kids. You feel for the parents, albeit briefly, especially when the dad utters, “I’ll never escape this. They’ll never escape this.” The hopelessness permeates through most scenes with the adults. Zagar does a good job of weaving together both points of view, the adults and the children, and balancing the two parallels. He creates a snapshot of childhood in lower class America: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You like stories about childhood
2. You know what it’s like to work blue collar jobs
3. You want to see a realistic portrayal of lower class America