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Wildlife

Name: Wildlife
Director: Paul Dano
Released: 2018
Duration: 105 min

Representation Score

5.0/10

Fair

2018

PG-13

Director

Paul Dano

Runtime

105 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Wildlife is a period drama that emphasizes historical accuracy over broad demographic representation. While the cast is largely homogeneous, the film explores the breakdown of mid-century social structures. By portraying the male lead as disconnected and inept, the film allows female characters to take charge during a crisis. However, the film lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities, diverse ethnicities, or disabilities, focusing instead on a specific white, middle-class experience.

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Category Breakdown

Does Wildlife have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a traditional framework typical of its 1960s setting. There are no representations of LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Wildlife portray gender?

Fair

The story shifts the focus from the male provider role to the women, highlighting their emotional labor during a crisis. This shift gives the female characters a significant role in driving the narrative.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Wildlife?

Minimal

The film is set in rural Montana and focuses on a homogeneous white, middle-class family. The casting reflects the historical and geographical context of the time.

How does Wildlife represent religion and culture?

Good

The film questions the idealized nuclear family and the American Dream. It contrasts heroic social actions with the abandonment of domestic responsibilities.

Does Wildlife include disability representation?

Limited

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. The characters' struggles center on psychological and socioeconomic issues.

Present on Screen

Shifts focus from traditional gender roles to highlight women's ability to act.
Critiques the idealized mid-century American Dream.
Explores the tension between personal purpose and domestic duties.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth experiences.
Features a homogeneous racial profile with little ethnic diversity.
Provides no visible depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

14-year-old Joe is the only child of Jeanette and Jerry — a housewife and a golf pro — in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job (and his sense of purpose) he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves.

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