Review of "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

New Orleans is one of the most magical and intriguing places in the entire United States. The culture is distinct and rich - especially to someone coming from Nowhere, Midwest. Needless to say, I found Beasts of the Southern Wild unwaveringly entrancing. I will begin by saying that you cannot see this film on an empty stomach, especially if you like Cajun cuisine. There must have been 100 lbs of tasty, meaty shrimp eaten in the film... and this one scene with a prostitute cooking beer battered catfish... oh, yeah. The movie.

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Starring: Quvenzahné Wallis, Dwight Henry
Directed by Benh Zeitlin
My Opinion: Highly recommended.

Taking heavily from the genre of magical realism, this film impressively portrays a child's perspective of impoverished life in a community outside the safely laden levees, an area called The Bathtub. The star of the film is Hush Puppy, a six year old girl, who lives alone with her daddy. Estranged from her maternal ties, Hush Puppy spends some of the movie hugging her mother's basketball jersey and speaking to a stick figure drawing on the wall: rather typical behavior of a motherless child. However, Hush Puppy is anything but ordinary. In fact, she is likely one of the most stoic figures in the history of cinema.

Hush Puppy's daddy raised her tough as tough can be. At first, his behavior towards his daughter seems antagonistic and bordering abusive. But quickly the viewer is made to understand that this father-daughter relationship reflects the conditions in The Bathtub. Hush Puppy's father can't coddle her: he must make a survivor out of her. Even in school, Hush Puppy learns that survival is all that matters. Anything living is meat. Yeah, it's pretty shocking to hear a six year old talking about eating her pets, but Hush Puppy is so unbelievably charming that you can't help but admire her for her strength. Naturally, when her father's ailing condition worsens, it is terrifying for the soon-to-be orphaned Hush Puppy. Yet, her almost mystical courage gives us hope.

Beasts of the Southern Wild isn't trying to make a large political statement, because that's not what Hush Puppy is seeing in her world. The film is a portrait of a very impressive little girl and her home. Now, I'm a huge sucker for an impressive child lead, but I'll be damned if this film didn't deliver that and more.