Remarkably enchanting and poignant that, never for once is there a moment of unbelievability as a narrative so wholly original and undetermined can easily enrapture audiences, "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is evidence of a filmmaker making art from the soul and mind rather than a financial perspective prevalent in movie studios. While art films do tend to gain notoriety for their artistry and style that they find themselves drawing a line between the cynics and optimists, however, anyone delving into the mystifying world taking form throughout the commentary by little Hushpuppy (Quvenzhan Wallis) as she experiences a rough taste of a world gone to hell are certainly in for a cinematic treat. Along with her story and narration, it becomes surprisingly entrancing and engrossing as this tale of growing up and coming to terms of themselves among the universe without it ever feeling pretentious or resembling any narratives that are implanted in a society of a savvy meta culture. This debut from director Benh Zeitlin proves not only to be an auspicious film, but more a bold and incredible exercise in craftsmanship of classic narrative story-telling.
Narrated by the young, precocious, charismatic yet nice Hushpuppy, who lives in a scummy environment with her harsh, alcoholic father, Wink (Dwight Henry) in The Bathtub, a bayou near an industrial establishment on an island off the Louisiana coast, yet, this world is so foreign and unrecognizable that it may seem as if Zeitlin has transported us to a world of wonder and mystique. Soon however, a hurricane starts to take effect, ultimately destroying this tight-knit community. But to Hushpuppy, this is her world and she inhabits every moment of it where people drink and eat while surviving harsh conditions and suffering malnutrition. As she and her father luckily survive the storm, they set out to fend for themselves, but for Hushpuppy, this is a time of growing up and being self-resilient, even if her father must be mean and over-bearing as he treats her not with kindness, but with roughness. But as he teaches her, it's roughness out of love and compassion he has for her as she is more precious to her than the liquor he consumes constantly.
For being only six years old at the time of filming, Quvenzhan is a revelation here. In every frame, she stands proudly and firmly as her performance requires a lot more than acting like a mere child, rather she must gradually grow from her father's ethics and influences from her peers and elders, to eventually coming to a full realization of herself in terms of the universe and her place in the world. She is a force to be reckoned with, blending in innocent child-like qualities of curiosity and wondrous enjoyment from the others around to adult behavior of responsibility, endurance, maturation and ultimately, purpose. All the while, never being flashy or underwhelming, she is to be commended for her ability to inhabit a picture full of themes well beyond a child's sensibilities.
Along with her paternal father figure: Wink, who fills each screen with a certain intensity that both confuses and captivates an audience. For never having any acting experience, Henry shows true rawness to a role that for a while, one is confused with. With every scene he and Hushpuppy share, its scary and fascinating to see the dynamic between a father and daughter relationship while unconventional, is sincerely honest and beautiful without ever spoon-feeding people their love for each other. Wink may be brutal to Hushpuppy, maybe even too extreme, but in a world of utter chaos and shambles, Hushpuppy can benefit more from his methods than a cozy, optimistic and warm-hearted parenting most people are familiar with. As with the rest of the cast is wonderfully exceptional. All the quirky and unique personalities that inhabit The Bathtub are hilarious and beneficial for the world Zeitlin successfully constructs that gives off a mystical resonance to experience.
Unbelievably original in its storytelling narrative, Zeitlin doesn't play to any conventions, yet, plays out as a cohesive narrative. With the gritty, omnipresent cinematography able to capture the damp, steamy and drenched environment of The Bathtub. As realistically it looks, with a story unpredictable and setting uncommon for casual movie going audiences, it is marvelously captivating and at times, confusing with what is the come next. While at times being snobby or even hints of pretentiousness, it's not being flamboyantly preached as some other art-house dramas. It has a point and with Hushpuppy's narration giving clarity to situation that may seem thin and abstract, it makes all the messages and themes all the more tolerable simply due to the enthralling performance from Quvenzahn.
At times being touching and emotionally endearing and while being abstract and directionless, "Beasts of the Southern Wild" proves to be more of a quintessential experience rather than another narrative to parade around for awards. And being a fascinating reminder of the strong endurance of the human spirit in face of insurmountable obstacles and challenges awaiting everyone in their lives. Lets hope for Hushpuppy's sake, the world can still remember this genuine gem of film-making.
Rating: A by Amritpal Rai
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