Beasts of the Southern Wild was one of those Oscar films that no one had heard of or seen advertise. It was a complete surprise to me and I knew nothing about it. It was a very interesting film that showed us a subculture of people who live off the coast of Louisiana. I enjoyed seeing the film; however, this film was a one-watch film for me. I probably won’t want to watch it again, and will not be adding it to my film collection. This film was nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actress in
a Leading Role (Quvenzhané Wallis), and Best Adapted Screenplay, but it did not win in any of these categories.Plot: The plot of this film follows the life of a young girl named Hushpuppy. Hushpuppy lives in a southern delta community (we think off the coast of Louisiana). Hushpuppy’s mother is gone, and she is being raised by her father, Wink. Wink treats her very roughly and in normal society we would think it abuse. He leaves her to her own devices seeming to neglect his daughter, but her loves her in his own way and is preparing her for the tough life they have there in the Delta. Wink begins to become ill and he knows he is dying so he begins to prepare Hushpuppy for a time when she must survive on her own. Hushpuppy must learn to be brave and self-sufficient if she is going to survive when her father is gone. Also, the movie shows a fantastical side because the polar ice caps are melting flooding the Delta and releasing a prehistoric species called the aurochs. Hushpuppy must find the courage to live on her own, face the aurochs, and perhaps even find her mother in a society that wants no help from outsiders. All of which is a tall order for a 6-year old girl, but maybe not for this 6-year old girl.
I liked several things about this film. First of which, it shows this community of people in the Delta. I love to see other microcosms of society that exist in the U.S. that no one thinks about or tries to ignore, and it that way it reminds me of Winter’s Bone. I loved the authenticity this movie
seems to have. Secondly, I loved the acting in this film especially Quvenzhané Wallis. What I didn’t care for in the movie is the whole side plot featuring the aurochs. It didn’t seem to make much sense in the plot for me, and I could have done without them. Also, there were times in the film when the story moved a little slowly.The acting was fantastic. Quvenzhané Wallis was perfection. She brings Hushpuppy to life with fierceness, grace and love. We believe in the character and we feel for the character. There is a reason she got nominated for an Oscar for her acting. You should see this film just to watch this little girl’s excellent performance. I thought Dwight Henry was very good as Wink, Hushpuppy’s father. He is a tough man because he lives in a tough place. But he truly loves his daughter and he is scared for what will happen to her once he is gone. He does his best to not let on anything is wrong with him and to teach her what she will need to know to survive once he is gone. His is also an interesting and complex character. I also really liked Gina Montana who plays Miss Bathsheba who is the schoolteacher of the community. She also seems to be a voice of reason for the community, and a collector of lost or orphaned children. She is a tough woman but one with a soft spot for her community and the children. This is Montana’s first film and I hope to see her in other movies in the future. Overall, I thought the acting was well done for this film.
I found Beasts of the Southern Wild interesting. It may not be a film for the causal moviegoer. It has extreme depth dealing with death, love, family relationships, society, and nature. It also moves a little slowly in some places in the story. I enjoyed this film but will probably not watch it again. It was not my favorite of the Best Picture Nominees.