The Wolfpack (2015) - Crystal Moselle

Crystal Moselle's The Wolfpack tells the story of the Angulo brothers, who have been locked away from the outside world by their father, who is fearful of the corruption it could bring to his children.  Trapped in the apartment, maybe venturing outside once or twice a year, the brothers only connection to the outside world comes through the world of movies.  The self-proclaimed Wolfpack spent their whole childhood re-enacting their favorite movies in their apartment, doing so with elaborate homemade props and costumes.  Their complacency in their sheltered lifestyle begins to change, with the oldest brother growing agitated with his father's strict regime, venturing out into the city in an act of defiance which forever changes the power dynamics of the family unit.  The Wolfpack is a fascinating documentary that overstays its welcome, meandering around the more complicated issues of overprotective parents, fear, and the need for independence.  The father is essentially a dictator in the family unit, a man who runs a strict, overprotective system that requires even his wife and mother of 'The Wolfpack' to stay sheltered in the apartment.  This is a man who believes he is doing the right thing in protecting his children from the outside world, with his warped worldview leaving these children in isolation. The only thing that keeps them going is Movies, and perhaps The Wolfpack's greatest attribute is its ability to capture the power of escapism the movies can have, giving these brothers something to focus on instead of loneliness and despair.  My favorite moments of the film are late, when we see the oldest brother attempting to socialize, with movies being his only point of reference, something that is equal parts tragic and uplifting.  While about the family unit, The Wolfpack is centered around the oldest son, who is beginning to resist the rules of the household.  He has taken his resentment of his sheltered lifestyle and used it to empower himself, wanting to prove his father wrong.  The son seems far beyond forgiveness, and the perhaps the great tragedy of the film is his inability to ever have a meaningful relationship with his father ever again.  Almost like a real-life version of Dogtooth, Crystal Moselle's The Wolfpack is essentially a high-powered and fascinating human interest story that never quite goes far enough exploring this family unit to be anything truly special.

---