ANIMALS
(director/writer: Ben Affleck; screenwriters: Billy Ray, Connor O. McIntyre; cinematographer: Robert Elswit; editors: William Goldenberg, Christopher Rouse; music: Harry Gregson-Williams; cast: Kerry Washington (Abigail), Ben Affleck (Mark Kimball), Steven Yeun (Sam Allison), Gillian Anderson (Dayle Burton), Adriana Paz (Cecilla Trujillo, housekeeper), Matt Gerald (kidnapper/James Bureaux), Ray Fisher (Ron Sperling, UCLA prof involved with Abby), Luis Gerardo Mendez (Ramon, uncocumented migrant), Christopher Woodley (Denny}, Jacob Estrada (Hector, mistaken kidnapping vic); Runtime: 106; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Brad Weston, Colin Creighton, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Dani Bernfeld, Luciana Damon; Netflix; 2026)
“Toxic, familiar and tedious political crime thriller.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The noted actor Ben Affleck (“Far Bright Star”/”Live by Night”) directs, writes and stars in this toxic, familiar and tedious political crime thriller set in Los Angeles. It’s superficially co-written by Billy Ray and Connor O. McIntyre. It tries to tell us how far a politician will go to advance his career, as this one needs the Latino vote to win and might do whatever it takes to get their vote even if it financially hurts him.
The wealthy and idealistic Mark Kimball (Ben Affleck) is running as an independent for mayor of Los Angeles, putting his own money into the expensive campaign. The native LA candidate’s background is as a teacher, lawyer, and Gulf War veteran. His pretty therapist wife Abby (Kerry Washington) is having an affair with a UCLA professor (Ray Fisher).
On Halloween, a kidnapper (Matt Gerald) calls Mark on his cell phone while he’s at his luxury suburban home. He’s told his preteen son Denny (Christopher Woodley), while trick-or-treating with his Mexican-American nanny (Adriana Paz), has been kidnapped and is being held for a 7 million dollar ransom. The shaken couple panic, as they hear the advice of Mark’s friend and campaign manager, Sam (Steven Yeun). He recommends paying Dayle (Gillian Anderson), a mysterious high-powered lady fixer over a million dollars to negotiate with the kidnappers to get the kid back. She appears wearing a sexy white dress which livens things up.
We soon learn that the kidnappers took the nanny’s son (Jacob Estrada) by mistake and Mark’s son has returned home safe.
Tension builds if Mark will pay the heavy price for his nanny’s son (Jacob Estrada), whose father is an illegal (Luis Gerardo Mendez). Paying the ransom should help him get the Latino vote he needs to win but will cut heavily into his wealth.
The material is only mediocre, but the film is nevertheless well-acted. Its story is cribbed from Kurosawa’s classic “High and Low” and the recent “Highest 2 Lowest,” a Spike Lee’s re-imagining of the great Japanese director’s film. I recommend you see the Kurosawa film and avoid the others.
REVIEWED ON 10/14/2026 GRADE: C
dennisschwartzreviews.com