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American Animals

Play trailer 1:53 Poster for American Animals R 2018 1h 56m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 212 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Spencer Reinhard, Warren Lipka, Eric Borsuk and Chas Allen are four friends who live an ordinary existence in Kentucky. After a visit to Transylvania University, Lipka comes up with the idea to steal the rarest and most valuable books from the school's library. As one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history starts to unfold, the men question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives are simply misguided attempts at achieving the American dream.
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American Animals

American Animals

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Critics Consensus

American Animals tangles with a number of weighty themes, but never at the expense of delivering a queasily compelling true crime thriller.

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Critics Reviews

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Wenlei Ma News.com.au 10/05/2018
4.5/5
American Animals is a different kind of movie, a truly electrifying story with purpose and meaning but one that has also given us a new form of storytelling. Go to Full Review Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald 10/04/2018
4/5
It's a clever movie, but not too clever. It's also thoughtful and engrossing, weird as hell. And it's true - or truer than most films that claim that label. Go to Full Review David Stratton The Australian 09/28/2018
4/5
American Animals, like the young thieves whose story it tells, seeks inspiration from classic movies, but it transcends this foundation in a probing look at the arrogance and inexperience of its protagonists... Go to Full Review Guillermo Troncoso Screen Realm Oct 24
4/5
Despite flirting with overlength by the time the credits roll, American Animals is a deft, highly entertaining blend of heist film and documentary. Go to Full Review JD Duran InSession Film 08/07/2024
A
American Animals is one of the most unique experiences of 2018 so far. Perhaps its editing and tonal shifts will be too cumbersome for some audiences, but for me, there’s a lot of profound layers to Layton’s direction. Go to Full Review Jason Adams My New Plaid Pants 07/02/2021
The harder the movie worked at reminding me of its "This is Based on a True Story" bonafides I kept watching it through Fargo-tinted "True Story" glasses Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dwayne W @Dwayneee Nov 30 American Animals is one of the most unique experiences of 2018 so far. Perhaps its editing and tonal shifts will be too cumbersome for some audiences, but for me, there’s a lot of profound layers to Layton’s direction. See more Don V @bondo150 Nov 29 Shifting the docudrama balance to the latter half of the portmanteau, AMERICAN ANIMALS is well paced and inventive with the truth in a way that grips rather than grates. See more Yannis M Oct 26 What makes the movie good is that it is also a condemnation of same, illustrating just how quickly those worries burn off in the face of the alternative, a difficult life. See more Julie D Oct 2 It's incredibly well-acted and features insightful storytelling. This is one that shouldn't be missed. See more Amber M Sep 3 What makes the movie good is that it is also a condemnation of same, illustrating just how quickly those worries burn off in the face of the alternative, a difficult life. See more Qinq D Aug 19 American Animals starts off like a fun heist movie - until reality comes crashing down in a tonal shift that has no right to work as well as it does. See more Read all reviews
American Animals

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Cast & Crew

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Bart Layton

Director

Barry Keoghan

Spencer Reinhard

Evan Peters

Warren Lipka

Jared Abrahamson

Eric Borsuk

Blake Jenner

Chas Allen II

Ann Dowd

Betty Jean Gooch

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American Animals

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American Animals

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American Animals

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Movie Info

Synopsis Spencer Reinhard, Warren Lipka, Eric Borsuk and Chas Allen are four friends who live an ordinary existence in Kentucky. After a visit to Transylvania University, Lipka comes up with the idea to steal the rarest and most valuable books from the school's library. As one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history starts to unfold, the men question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives are simply misguided attempts at achieving the American dream.
Director
Bart Layton
Producer
Derrin Schlesinger, Katherine Butler, Dimitri Doganis, Mary Jane Skalski
Screenwriter
Bart Layton
Distributor
The Orchard
Production Co
Lava Bear Films, Raw
Rating
R (Language Throughout|Brief Crude/Sexual Material|Some Drug Use)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 1, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 14, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.9M
Runtime
1h 56m
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