Rating of
3/4
Once There Was a Hushpuppy...
Chris Kavan - wrote on 02/01/13
A film dealing with the harsh realities of life is a rare film. Almost no one dares to put on film the way things are: things are always given a rosy sheen, a cheerful look a silver lining - Beasts of the Southern Wild opens with the world of "the Bathtub" a community of men, women, families that choose to live life by their own rules. Our narrator for this is Hushpuppy, the 6-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis, whose observations on this life are both precious and, at the same time, a bit heartbreaking.
The beginning of the film shows up the upside of this life "The Bathtub has more holidays than the whole rest of the world." With fireworks and plenty to drink - it's like Mardi Gras every week (or whenever people feel like celebrating something). But, we soon learn, there is storm on the horizon.
Hushpuppy's home life is not what one would call "normal" by any sense. Her father, Wink, is hard drinking, but he provides the best he can: fishing, raising animals and Hushpuppy even has her own offshoot home - where she keeps all her mother's personal effects. Her mother is gone - she left soon after Hushpuppy was born. Thus, a jersey and a drawing are the only things she has to remember her. Hushpuppy is shown drawing often - with hopes that this means that she will be remembered: "I'm recording my story for the scientists in the future. In a million years, when kids go to school, they gonna know: Once there was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub."
Yet the coming storm isn't just about to hit the people of the Bathtub, it's going to hit on a more personal level as well. For Wink has been injured - but his nature will not allow him to seek medical attention. Thus as the storm worsens, and the Bathtub is nearly drowned, so does Wink's condition worsen. Although the people come together and create a new community - and even celebrate with a feast, these good times can't last.
But it's Hushpuppy's story - and throughout the film we are shown imaged of the long-extinct Aurochs (think Warthogs, but much bigger and meaner) as they rampage over land. What do these beasts represent? Even though they are presented as "real" I think ultimately they are the mirror of Hushpuppy's situation - responsibilities and facing life on her own. I could be totally wrong, but it's one of those things that I think each person can figure out on their own and get just as much out of it.
Does Wallis and Benh Zeitlin deserve their nominations? For Wallis, I think it is - for someone so young to be able to convey the wide range of emotion: from pure exuberance to falling tears, speaks volumes. Most 6-year-olds I can think of, to take a line from the movie once again: "Most of the time they probably be saying: I'm hungry, or I gotta poop." I truly hope she has a bright future ahead of her, because if this film is any indication, it could be truly amazing.
For Zeitlin I'm conflicted, while I liked the movie, it's not one of those that I would re-watch over and over again. In fact, it's quite like The Artist - it's a good film, to be sure, just not one that holds wide appeal for me personally. However, this is the type of film you can find a deeper meaning lurking under the surface. It earns its spot on the Best Picture category, but for director, I think Ben Affleck or Kathryn Bigelow would have been the smarter choice. However, that being said, I still recommend seeing this for the authentic performances, the pull-no-punches story (even with the fantastical elements) and simply for a breath of fresh air from the usual Hollywood fare.
