Review: Wolves

A solid cast led by a reliably outstanding Michael Shannon offsets writer-director Bart Freundlich's formulaic narrative and execution in the coming-of-age basketball drama Wolves. One may experience a sense of déjà vu watching the proceedings since many of the film's elements have already been hashed by 1974's The Gambler and re-hashed by its lesser 2014 remake, but Wolves does improve upon the latter even if it never wholly matches desperate grit of the former.

Newcomer Taylor John Smith plays the film's central character, Anthony Keller, the star basketball player for a New York City Catholic school team. His three-point shooting skills, ability to suss out open spaces on the court and good grades have made him a prime candidate for a Cornell scholarship. He's well-liked by his teammates, idolised by the younger students, has a smart and beautiful girlfriend (Zazie Beetz), and is a loving son to his parents, Lee (Shannon) and Jenny (Carla Gugino). He's an all-around nice kid, but that niceness is a flaw both on and off the court. His penchant for passing the ball to other teammates during big moments, whilst displaying generosity and inclusivity, also exposes his lack of a killer instinct. Instead of getting big in the big moments, the Cornell coach observes, Anthony gets small, fitting in when he should be standing out.

Lee, on the other hand, may have too much of a killer instinct. An English literature professor by day and a compulsive gambler by night, he's a seductive monster who enables his own downward spiral. Already deeply in debt to one shady bookie, he nevertheless places bets with another, even draining Anthony's college fund, relying on the delusion that it will all somehow sort itself out in the end. His addiction places a heavy strain on his family, particularly on Anthony whose burdens keep increasing as the film progresses.

If the developments with his girlfriend Victoria seem rather rote, that's due more to Freundlich's underdevelopment of the character and their relationship rather than Smith and Beetz's handling. The same holds true for the characters played by Chris Bauer and John Douglas Thompson. The former portrays Anthony's uncle Charlie, who does what he can to help Lee and the family. Charlie represents what Anthony could become, someone who stands by the sidelines as more aggressive sorts like Lee come along and take what might have been his. If Lee and Charlie are on opposite ends of the spectrum, then Thompson's Socrates lies somewhere in the middle - a former NBA player whose advice helps to foster Anthony's inner strength. In truth, none of these characters are particularly essential to the film, cluttering up the story instead of bolstering the core relationships within the Keller family.

Whilst Smith can sometimes err on the side of placid in the first half of the film, he really comes through in the second half, silently communicating the complex love-hate dynamic he shares with both his parents. Maybe looking at the truth is the better alternative, he suggests to his mother, who deploys her romanticism to gloss over her husband's ruthlessness until it's no longer tenable. As Jenny notes, perhaps a little too late, she may not have known when she had enough, but she knows when she's had too much. As for Lee, it's clear that he loves both his wife and son but there's something in him that can't help but push things just a little too far. Shannon perfectly embodies Lee's combination of cruelty and charisma - even at his most monstrous, one can't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for this devil.

Wolves

Directed by: Bart Freundlich

Written by: Bart Freundlich

Starring: Michael Shannon, Carla Gugino, Taylor John Smith, Chris Bauer, John Douglas Thompson, Zazie Beetz