JUNGLELAND

US, 2019, 90 minutes, Colour.

Charlie Hunnam, Jack O' Connell, Jonathan Majors, Jessica Barden.

Directed by Max Winkler.

Jungle land is not exactly an enticing title. It is the name of a centre in San Francisco where tough audiences gather to witness tough fights. And, during the film, there certainly are some tough fights, culminating at Jungle Land.

But, as it turns out, this is a deeper film about the relationship between two brothers. The older, Stan (Charlie Hunnam) has the brains, has spent his life protecting his younger brother, with the brawn and tough fists, Walter (Jack O’Connell). (Interesting to note that the two central characters, very American, are played by British actors.)

Stan can be shrewd but he can also be a man of poor practical judgement. He gets tangled with criminals, makes bets on fights that Walter will win – but not always. Which means a lot of debt. The brothers squat in various places, ready to escape quickly. And, for a time, they work in the garment factory, Walter at a sewing machine, stand with all the bravado posting on the floor of the factory.

Then the film becomes a road film, stand pressurised by the criminal contact to go to jungle land for Walter to fight. But the condition is that they take a young girl, Sky, a wood-be dancer who is prone to cause trouble, to another gangster in Reno, who has bought Sky and wants to have a child with her.

There are quite a lot of episodes on the way, of course. At one stage, Sky spikes Walters a drink, gets in a tangle with toughs at a diner, and then she crashes their truck. Money difficulties. Getting the truck repaired. Entrepreneur Stan suggesting that Walter fight to of the garage attendance and, if he wins, the repairs done for free.

In the search for money, Sky suggests they visit her parents who turn out to be particularly religious and stern with Sky, ousting her.

Eventually, they get the bus to Reno and there is dangerous confrontation between the gangster and stand, and Water taking matters into his own hand as Sky disappears. Shootings and killings.

By this stage, the characters of the brothers have ingratiate themselves with us so that as we move to the final fight, Walter not realising the consequences of what has happened, stand ready to take responsibility, Sky turning up in the audience, there is some emotion in us as the final credits roll.

1. Expectations from the title? The life of the two brothers crossing the United States, an American jungle? The finale, the boxing bout, Jungleland?
2. The travel through the United States, from east to west, the range of cities, the small towns, the open road, the countryside? The brothers and scavenging accommodation, quick getaways? The sewing factory and their presence? The connection with the gangsters, the commission to take Sky? The motels, the diners, repair garages, the contrast with the meal at Sky’s home? Reno, the squalid set up with the gangsters? Cars, trucks, buses? San Francisco, the buildup to Jungleland, the fight? The musical score?
3. Stan and Walter, the bond between them, Stan and his shrewdness, Walter being more simple, his boxing talent? Dependence on each other? Stan and his initiatives, money, betting on his brother? The gangster connections? Walter, his fight, distraction, expecting to win, knocked out? Their accommodation, Walter and his exercise, Stan and the supervision? Their working in the factory, Walter at the machine, Stan and his boasting to the supervisor?
4. The contact with the gangster, the money issue, Stan owing the money, no repayment? The pressure to go to Jungleland and fight, the condition of taking Sky? Sky, her age, wanting to be a dancer, surly attitude, trouble, spiking Walter’s drink and the consequences, crashing the truck? Yet her conversations with each of the brothers?
5. Financial difficulties, credit cards not working, the truck, trying to set up the fight, the managers not wanting it, the workers agreeing, the fight and Walter winning, two against one? Driving away? At the diner, the truck being towed, the money in the truck?
6. Sky, her family, calling in for the meal, pretending that they were at a religious group, the religious attitudes of the parents, the fierce stance of the mother and ousting her daughter?
7. The desperation, Walter and his training, taking the bus, arriving in Reno? Sky and her running away? Stan going to the agent gangster, the story about Sky being pregnant, his wanting her son? His henchman? Leering attitude?
8. Walter, the bond with Sky, the sexual encounter, her leaving? Stan and his gun, Walter with the gun, overhearing the leering gangster? Walter shooting them dead?
9. San Francisco, the fight, Walter being overwhelmed, Stan present, the police arriving, his being arrested for the killings and taking the blame, Sky in the background?
10. Walter and sky? Future? The dream of the drycleaners? Stan and prison?
11. Performance and portrait of the two brothers, love, working together, dependence, some recriminations, reconciliation?