Fascinating Wolfpack Showcases Eccentric Movie Loving Family

Locked away from society in an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Angulo brothers learn about the outside world through the films that they watch. Nicknamed the Wolfpack, the brothers spend their childhood re-enacting their favorite films using elaborate homemade props and costumes. With no friends and living on welfare, they feed their curiosity, creativity, and imagination with film, which allows them to escape from their feelings of isolation and loneliness. Everything changes when one of the brothers escapes, and the power dynamics in the house are transformed. The Wolfpack must learn how to integrate into society without disbanding the brotherhood. . (C) Magnolia

Sunday is always a reflective day for me. The start of the week brings the possibility of new beginnings and a pensive look at my life. A sermon I listened to that morning from Michael Hideglo of Denver Community Church about what we immerse ourselves with can shape us. The idea of taking on the characteristics of our surroundings was in my thoughts through out the day. The talk had an impact on me and was on my mind when I watched The Wolfpack that evening. The Sundance award winning documentary (U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize),  The Wolfpack is a fascinating revelation of seven movie-loving, home-schooled children isolated in their apartment in New York City. To say they are sheltered is an understatement. Life, from everyday settings to public places to human interactions, is filtered through the classic and contemporary movies they watch. What these kids watched had an impact on their lives and how they relate to other people and see the world.

The strongest element to The Wolfpack was the enthralling characters and the non-intrusive natural direction of Crystal Moselle. She could’ve mocked or judged their life, but she showed the bold restraint and discipline not to exploit them. There are moments that are psychologically unsettling especially with the realization that this many children lived in a tiny place and rarely ventured outdoors to truly experience life. Viewers get a glimpse of the sad situation as the children are interviewed discussing their views on life and relationships as well as experiencing the beautiful, complex world for the first time.

There’s something uncomfortable about loving movies and watching a documentary about people who have been raised on them and how it shapes their worldview. I started questioning if I am watching too many movies. (I watch a few a week and think about them often.) Innocent references can turn into bigger issues of what really controls you and shaping your worldview. Establishing fantasy from reality is also problematic, as well. After all, you become what you consume. This is what I got out of The Wolfpack, but maybe you saw something else. Please let us know in the comments.

I rate The Wolfpack an 8 out of 10.