Animal Kingdom 2010

After the tragic overdose of his mother, Joshua ‘J’ Cody finds himself compelled to move in with his estranged grandmother, Janine ‘Smurf’ Cody, the formidable matriarch of a notorious crime family in Melbourne. J becomes enveloped in the chaotic world of the Cody Boys, comprised of his uncles. Andrew ‘Pope’ Cody, the oldest, is an armed robber in hiding from a relentless group of renegade detectives, while the fiery middle brother, Craig, is a drug dealer with a penchant for violence. The youngest, Darren, follows his brothers, looking to them for guidance.

During one fateful outing, Craig takes J for a drive and is provoked by a man in a neighboring car at a traffic light. Handing J a handgun, Craig’s aggression leads them into an alley where the confrontation escalates, and J is pushed into a position where he must intimidate the assailant.

As the tensions rise within the family, J learns of a betrayal involving Pope’s best friend, Barry ‘Baz’ Brown, who attempts to leave the criminal lifestyle behind. Sadly, his efforts end in sudden tragedy as police, deceived by Baz’s attempt to protect Pope, end up taking his life. The violent dynamics within the Cody family clash with law enforcement, leading to J being coerced into stealing a car, which culminates in a deadly ambush on two unsuspecting policemen orchestrated by Pope and Darren.

Following these events, J is taken in for questioning by Senior Police Officer Nathan Leckie, who recognizes J’s troubled position and aims to help him break free from the destructive family ties. Despite a glimmer of hope, J ultimately rejects the offer for witness protection.

As the unfolding chaos takes a personal toll, J’s girlfriend tragically becomes another victim in the ongoing war, murdered by Pope, leaving J heartbroken and caught in the web of violence. The chaos reaches its peak when Smurf, recognizing that J is the key witness against them, decides that “J needs to go”. She uses her connections to orchestrate a plot to eliminate him, but J narrowly escapes the violent raid aimed at his life.

Desperate and overwhelmed, J finds himself back at Smurf’s residence, proclaiming he “can’t live like this” and wanting to help free Pope and Darren from prison. Their family lawyer devises a plan to undermine the prosecution’s case, leading to the eventual release of Pope and Darren.

In a shocking climax, after welcoming the two back home, J unexpectedly turns on Pope and shoots him in the head. The film concludes with J returning to the living room, ready to embrace the now uneasy Smurf, hinting at the dark path ahead.