Animal Factory

Movies 365: Day 13 – Animal Factory

When I worked at Blockbuster, Animal Factory was a movie I would pass by and every time, would look at the cover and think to myself “Hm, I should check this out sometime.” Yet over the years, I never got the real inclination to do so. As years passed, I would go to the video store, and pass Animal Factory think to myself that maybe I should rent it, and then inevitably find something I was more interested in, leaving Animal Factory on the shelf with the promise that next time I’d rent it. Well, I’ve finally caught up with Animal Factory, so, the real question is, should I have rented it sooner? Was I missing out on an overlooked classic?

Though I don’t think I’d call Animal Factory an overlooked classic, it’s definitely a good movie, one that certainly deserves better than to be passed over in favor of newer more popular fare. Based on the novel by Edward Bunker, a former convict turned actor, Animal Factory follows the story of Ron Decker (Edward Furlong), a young man jailed for possession with intent to distribute, as he falls under the tutelage of seasoned convict Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe). There really isn’t a ton of plot to Animal Factory, there are certainly sequences where there is something driving the actions of the characters, however, the film mainly seems to be about prison life and is not so interested in telling a straight story. Which is fine, the characters are interesting enough, and the performances are all so good, that I didn’t mind just spending time with the cons.

Dafoe and Furlong head a cast of great talent including Danny Trejo, Mark Boone Jr., Tom Arnold, Chris Bauer, Mickey Rourke, Seymour Cassel and John Heard. The performances are universally good, with Mickey Rourke and Tom Arnold stand out in their small but memorable parts as a transvestite inmate and a hillbilly rapist respectively. Dafoe and Furlong are both as good as they’ve ever been, and though neither of their performances are showy, they are understated in a way that really makes the film work. Credit should also be given to director Steve Buscemi, who knows better than to sensationalize the story, and seems quite content to use his camera to capture the great performances he gets from his cast, instead of showing off all the cool shots he can do.

Though not a dark and gritty film, Animal Factory is not a happy go lucky tale. Prison violence and rape are present, though not necessarily a major part of this prison drama, and frankly I’m grateful for that, it makes it feel more real, instead of the caricature that most prisons on film are, instead of a guy waiting around ever corner with a shiv, waiting to rape you, the threat is still real, but presented in a way that I’m sure is more reflective of the reality in prison. I’m sure some out there think that Animal Factory is a failure, but I think they’re looking for the wrong thing from the film. It’s not a simple prison story, it’s a character study, in which case it certainly succeeds. Next time you’re at the video store, don’t pass by Animal Factory it’s definitely worth the rental, trust me.