‘My Animal’ Movie Review [Sundance 2023]: A Cold Werewolf Romance
Similar to vampire movies, the werewolf category is crowded with diverse takes on the creature from European folklore. From the classic The Wolf Man, horror-comedy An American Werewolf in London, to the cult classic Ginger Snaps, storytellers found fascinating ways to bring the mythos into the film medium. Unfortunately, Jacqueline Castel’s My Animal has an engrossing concept that it can’t pull off.
‘My Animal’ follows a dangerous romance
Heather (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) lives with her extremely oppressive family with strict rules, which all revolves around her stern mother (Heidi von Palleske). Meanwhile, Heather spends much of her time at the local hockey rink, where she desperately wants to join the team. She’s forced to remain at home every time there’s a full moon, keeping her from any sort of a social life.
She fatefully meets a fascinating figure skater named Jonny (Bodies Bodies Bodies‘ Amandla Stenberg), who quickly takes a liking to her. Their chemistry continues to escalate, as they both embrace the status of being outsiders, but Heather’s secret becomes a problem as they progressively get closer.
Family and acceptance
My Animal has multiple moving parts in Heather’s life that mount tension, as Jae Matthews’ screenplay puts an emphasis on interpersonal relationships over visceral horror that is typically associated with a werewolf story. Heather lives in a bleak household, with only her father, Henry (Stephen McHattie), truly understanding what it’s like to be in her position. Meanwhile, she experiences a radically different relationship with her mother, which only continues to loom over her.
Heather yearns to have a “normal” life that she witnesses her peers have from the sidelines. Jonny presents her with the first opportunity to party and rebel, exploring an entirely new side of herself. However, she realizes that she’s playing with fire, as breaking the rules of being out on the night of a full moon could signal death for all those around her. Nevertheless, locking herself away for the rest of her years is no way to live. She’s tired of hiding who she truly is and wishes to finally be herself.
The need for a social life ultimately leads to Heather’s romance with Jonny. Matthews’ screenplay blends their worlds together in a love story that has joy and lust but also pain and sorrow. Much like Heather’s experience with the hockey team that she wishes to join, she’s often left looking in from the outside of her own romance, desperate to dive in.
‘My Animal’ slowly builds to nothing
Castel instills an indie nostalgia feel to My Animal that aesthetically brings the story to life. Cinematographer Bryn McCashin introduces entrancing neon lighting to place emphasis on specific sequences, offering a contrast to the dark, grainy reality of Heathers’ life.
Menuez brazenly goes all out on her performance as Heather. She brings emotional sincerity to the role, having the depth to emote through scenes that are light on dialogue. Meanwhile, Stenberg carries much of the film with her incredibly charismatic Jonny. She shares spectacular chemistry with Menuez, although the performances from the supporting cast are shaky.
My Animal has plenty of style, but it narratively and emotionally falls short of expectations, ending on a whimper after an underwhelming slow burn.
