American Animals is a Slick, Captivating Heist Gone Awry

Everybody has that friend that can talk us into anything.  You know the ones who literally can make us do that ONE thing we are fearful of or have no desire whatsoever to be involved in their latest scheme.  Remember how many times Lucy talked Ethel into some craziness?  Exactly.

Based on a true life story of Warren Lipka (Evan Peters) & Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan) from Lexington, KY., they convincingly enlist two more friends –  accounting major who wants to join the FBI named Eric (Jared Abrahamson) and fitness freak with major coinage named Chas (Blake Jenner) as they plot a heist of some of the worlds most valuable books from the collection room of Spencer’s college library at Transylvania University (yeah…that’s the real name).  The results are stressful, comical and captivating at best.

You gotta give it to these dudes.  They realistically thought they could roll up into a collection room, steal some stuff and get paid.

Here are a few reasons I love American Animals….

1.  For research the guys literally screen every Hollywood heist film known to man, right down to the blueprints.

2.   It’s an actually true story based on a heist that took place in 2004. These dudes attempt to steal the Audubon Book with dire consequences.

3.  Arrogance at its brightest.  Mind-boggling how folks think they can’t roll in and out of hard secured building without at least one thing going completely awry.

4. Keystone Cop element mashing with real life made me holla out loud.

5. Suspense, Captivating and Comical make the best type of dramas in this genre of film

The juxtaposition of director Bart Layton flipping between the real life men and the actors who portray them in the film is quite fascinating to watch unfold.  Coming from a documentary background, Bart Layton uses those skills to color beautifully how this heist fable was told to its audience of movie goers.

Produced by The Orchard will open American Animals in New York and Los Angeles this weekend. Select Q&As will take place on both coasts. It will be available nationwide in about 500 theaters further into the month of June.