ANIMALS

Australia/Ireland, 2019, 109 minutes, Colour.
Holliday Grainger, Alia Shawkat, Fra Fee, Dermot Murphy, Amy Malloy, Pat Shortt, Olwen Foueere. Kwaku Fortune.
Directed by Sophie Hyde.

The animals of the title are two party-girls. And, for most of the film they are partying. They are two young women, in fact, turning 30, a decade of party life of more, drugs, booze, sex, hedonistic indulgence and no sign of it stopping. Or, are there some signs?

The film is based on a novel by Emma Jane Unsworth which was very popular. She has written the screenplay. The film was directed by South Australian, Sophie Hyde, who made 52 Tuesdays. The production was filmed in Ireland and post-production in Australia. So, the setting is Dublin.

Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat are Laura and Tyler, Laura from Dublin, a would-be writer who has achieved very little except for jottings and her notebook. Tyler is actually an American living in Ireland, alienated from her family. The two actresses give strong performances but it will depend on audience point of view whether they find them sympathetic or not. Unless the audience are party animals themselves, they might find the constant presentation of the partying a bit wearisome.

But, the screenplay asks, is any change possible, can they really grow up, take responsibilities for their lives? For most of the action, it seems not. And, perhaps for Tyler, there is very little possibility for change, even as she sees some change in Laura.

Music is sometimes able to tame the savage beast – and Laura encounters a dark and brooding musician, Jim (France Fee) who is serious about his music, is attracted to Laura and she to him, opening up possibilities for a long-term relationship, rather to the dismissive disgust of Tyler.

There are some characters who offer balance to the two-party animals, Laura’s pregnant sister, her husband, Laura’s sympathetic parents. At least Laura can see possibilities. But, given the fact that she declares she has had more than a decade of this kind of partying life and stranded herself in it, it is getting rather late in her life to commit herself and make some decisions. And, of course, she makes some wilful mistakes.

Young adults in their 20s and 30s, especially if they are prone to being party animals, may well identify with Laura and Tyler – and see that Tyler whose kind of life is an open highway to…? But that, for Laura, there needs to be some change, some facing the reality of life, some settling down…

Older audiences, even some who have been through similar phases in their life, may find almost 2 hours in the company of Laura and Tyler, no matter how well and effectively made the film is (and it is well-made), very trying (hoping, perhaps, against hope, that the two women will go beyond hedonism into some kind of responsibility).

1. The title? Party animals? So much of the film devoted to the partying and its aftermath? The girls being wasted – and the implications of wasted lives?

2. An Irish production, the Australian contribution? The Dublin settings, streets and homes, pubs and bars, music and recitals? The musical score, songs, the classical music and performances?

3. Laura and Tyler, their long friendship, Laura from Dublin, Tyler from America and alienation from her family? Laura and her bonds with her sister, brother-in-law, with her parents, her father’s illness? The contrast between the two girls and their background?

4. Laura’s story, 30s, partying for so long, the booze, so many drugs, the sexual encounters, especially with the dealer? Her wanting to write the novel, but having completed few pages? Her jottings? Her inability to follow through? Giving up, going out with Tyler? Living with Tyler, paying her the rent? Best friends? Tyler and her example, her cynical comments, interpretation of life? Laura relying on her?

5. Tyler, from the US, party animal, no indication of wanting to change? The scenes of her being wasted? Her friendship with Laura, best friends, her job in the bar, losing the job? The proliferation of drugs, her drinking, casual sexual encounters and pickups? The phone call with a death from America and her reaction? Her observing Laura, Laura and Jimmy, the possibility of Laura settling down, the threat to the friendship? Her wanting to thwart the relationship?

6. Jimmy, in the bar, musician, hours of practice, recitals, ambitions? The attraction to Laura? Moving in together? The proposal? Going to the family and his being welcomed? His friend, Mexico, the sexual aspects? Laura, her own infidelity with the dealer, her attitude towards Jimmy, going to the party, going to the recital, her being upset and breaking the relationship?

7. The world of the bars, the baristas, young people, dancing, music, booze, drugs? Marty his character, dealing, relationship with Laura and her reactions?

8. The birth of the baby, Laura going to see the baby, the glass of wine, spilling it, her sister’s reaction? The later going to see her sister, the discussions, the baby, drinking together?

9. Laura, into her 30s, her prospects?