Family businesses can be tricky — especially when you’re a teenage boy. In Animal Kingdom, 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (Finn Cole, Peaky Blinders) is dragged into a world of crime when he moves in with estranged relatives after his mother’s sudden death. He learns quickly that their “business” is a dangerous one.
Animal Kingdom, originally a TNT series, has quickly become a hit on Netflix, rising to the seventh position in the top ten most popular series this week. But does it live up to the hype? Watch With Us is breaking down the best elements that make this crime drama worth watching.
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Ellen Barkin Is a Powerhouse Performer
Ellen Barkin, best known for films like Sea of Love and Diner, portrays crime family leader and matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody with a tenderness and ferocity that make her a fascinating character. She’s capable of deep love for her children, but it’s marred by her passion for crime. For Smurf, it’s not just a means of survival — it excites and almost arouses her, making it all the more unsettling when she pushes her children into the business and encourages their criminal activities.
Animal Kingdom is based on an Australian film of the same name, and Barkin elevates the material with her unfiltered, almost perverse performance. The love she has for her family is borderline incestuous, and it’s grotesquely fascinating. Barkin’s take on Smurf is a masterclass in playing the bad guy — and you won’t be able to tear your eyes away.
The Action Is Intense
The Codys’ biggest sources of income are robbery and drug deals. That kind of work can turn explosive fast, and the action sequences in Animal Kingdom never disappoint.
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Car crashes, shootouts and beatdowns are all par for the course in this criminal world — and the special effects, cinematography and overall production design sell every thrilling moment.
The Southern California setting — Animal Kingdom takes place in Oceanside, California, near San Diego — adds a cultural specificity to the show’s already distinctive visual style.
It Does ‘Antihero’ Incredibly Well
Animal Kingdom was always a hit with critics, but its home on TNT meant it wasn’t on many people’s radar. Now that it’s on Netflix, it’s getting the attention it deserves — and viewers are realizing just how well it handles the tropes of the “antihero descends into darkness” drama. Much like Breaking Bad or Ozark, it doesn’t worry about keeping the characters “likable.” Instead, it focuses on making them interesting.
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The audience enters the world of Animal Kingdom alongside teenage J, setting him up as the innocent protagonist. But the series masterfully depicts how he’s seduced by the criminal lifestyle, setting him down a dark path in the vein of Walter White.
Animal Kingdom makes you root for the bad guys — even when you know they’re wrong. Compelling performances from Barkin and Cole, as well as from Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy and Ben Robson, who play Smurf’s adult sons, make the show a captivating watch worthy of its high Netflix rank.
Watch Animal Kingdom on Netflix now.
