Wildlife Movie Storyline. The film is set in 1960. Jeannette and Jerry Brinson have recently moved to Great Falls, Montana with their teenage son Joe. Tensions build after Jerry is fired from a job as a golf pro at a country club. He is offered his old job back but refuses out of pride, and instead of looking for work, he sleeps in his car and watches the local firefighting efforts against a forest fire raging in nearby mountains.
To support the family as Jerry looks for a job, Jeannette takes a job as a swimming instructor, while Joe works at a local photography studio. One day, Jerry decides to take a low-paying job fighting the forest fire, which upsets Jeannette and worries Joe. Jeannette speaks openly about her strained marriage with Jerry to Joe, and the stress of the situation takes a minor toll on Joe’s school life.
While Jerry is away, Jeannette becomes romantically involved with one of her students, Warren Miller, a prosperous older man who owns an automobile dealership. Joe is repeatedly left alone as Jeannette spends time with Miller, initially under the guise of being employed by him, and Jeannette opens up about her dissatisfaction and restlessness.
One night, after a dinner hosted by Miller, a drunken Jeannette kisses him; he spends the night at Joe’s house, which a shocked Joe discovers later that night. After Miller leaves, Joe confronts Jeannette about the affair. Jeannette does not admit to caring about Miller or no longer loving Jerry, but concedes that the affair will make their life financially better, and she implores Joe to think of a better plan for her. He tells her that he cannot.
Jerry returns and is met with a lukewarm reception by Jeannette, who reveals that she has begun renting an apartment in town, and Joe is free to stay with her. Devastated and suspecting an affair, Jerry gets Joe to admit to her relationship. Furious upon hearing that Miller slept with Jeannette in the family house, Jerry drunkenly goes to Miller’s house and tries to set it ablaze.
Miller catches him in the act and confronts him, admonishing him about his behavior with Joe present. When an injured Jerry pleads with Joe to help him escape before the police arrive, Joe flees on foot to the police station, where he discovers his father has not been arrested. Returning to the house, he learns from Jerry that Miller will not press charges, but his parents’ marriage is over.
Wildlife is a 2018 American drama film directed by Paul Dano and co-written by Dano and Zoe Kazan. It is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Ford first published in 1990. The film stars Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ed Oxenbould, and Bill Camp; it is Dano’s directorial debut.
The film was acclaimed by critics, with many praising Mulligan and Gyllenhaal’s performances. In December 2018, the film received award for the Best film at the 36th Torino Film Festival. The film had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018. It was released in the United States on October 19, and in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2018.
Wildlife (2018)
Directed by: Paul Dano
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould, Bill Camp, Zoe Margaret Colletti, Mollie Milligan, Lexi Anastasia, Sara Moore, Blaine Maye, Laurie Cummings, Kaye Brownlee-France
Screenplay by: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan
Production Design by: Akin McKenzie
Cinematography by: Diego García
Film Editing by: Louise Ford, Matthew Hannam
Costume Design by: Amanda Ford
Set Decoration by: Melisa Jusufi
Art Direction by: Miles Michael
Music by: David Lang
Distributed by: IFC Films
Release Date: October 19, 2018
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