Wolf Movie Review

Wolf (2021)

Rent Wolf on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Nathalie Biancheri
Directed by: Nathalie Biancheri
Starring: Paddy Considine, Lily-Rose Depp, George MacKay
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Jacob believes he's a wolf and is sent to a clinic to treat his species dysphoria.

Verdict
A strange movie with a strange premise. This seems like it wants to be a commentary, but I don't know what this wants to say. That really hampers this movie. It's certainly atypical if you like strange movies, but if you want a movie with a clear plot and conclusion, this isn't that. I wish it did something with this idea.
It depends.

Review
I was intrigued by the concept. What can be done with that? 

If you know the premise, it's clear what's happening in the first couple scenes. If you don't, you'd be utterly lost. Species dysphoria is a recognized condition. Jacob (George MacKay) goes to an institution with other young adults that think they're animals. We see his daily routine and how this place treats patients.

George MacKay plays Jacob

I wondered if this was an exploration of identity and how we relate to society. It's also easy to connect this to gender identity. While that's certainly two very different things, the reactions can be similar. The treatment by one doctor is to prove to patients they aren't animals by pushing them to perform as an animal and ridicule them when they don't have the capability. Treatment is more humiliation and even torture. Despite that, it doesn't seem to help. I wondered if we'd ever get to the root for Jacob or anyone. We don't.

Lily-Rose Depp, George MacKay play Wildcat, Jacob

I certainly wonder if this movie is a commentary on how society treats people with a non-conforming gender identity, but it just as often doesn't seem to be connected. Is it wrong to think you're an animal? It certainly is when it begets violence against others. Treatment is inhumane, and that's certainly common when society at large doesn't understand people or their behavior. There's just never an overarching link or conclusion. What is the movie trying to say or what does it want to say? I'm not sure, and it soon seems the movie doesn't know. I wondered if George would come to a realization as he seems to have feelings for Wildcat (Lily-Rose Depp), but that doesn't go anywhere.

The best conclusion I can make is that people that don't conform are subjected to inhumane treatment and regarded with no compassion. Maybe this doctor rationalizes this treatment as treating these people like the animals they think they are, but that breaks any link this has with gender identity.

I couldn't help but think about Yorgos Lanthimos's movies that consider an aspect of society or take it to an extreme. His movies like The Lobster or The Killing of a Sacred Deer don't necessarily draw a conclusion, but it's clear what he's exploring. I really like his movies due to their strangeness, creativity, and Lanthimos's skill as a director. It feels like this movie wants to do something similar, but doesn't quite achieve it.