Review by John Delia
Very interesting the film Feral, a drama filmed like a documentary, follows a young lady as she circumnavigates New York City’s underground and backstreets. It’s a very good production, but the tale runs out of energy toward the end. The performance by Annapurna Sriram as the main character provides a nice arc that peaks a little early before bringing everyone down.
Yasmine is a homeless woman who was left behind when her mother was extradited out of the country when she was 16. Not having any other relatives, she bides her time by living in the squalor of different areas taking advantage of men and diving in garbage for food. She has established a hovel in a tunnel adjacent to a subway and often begs for someone to give her a swipe of their train pass.
It’s a lonely life, yet she meets so many characters that are either homeless like her or lonesome and in need of some of her sadness to share. Director Andrew Wonder who also filmed the movie, does a very good job of getting into the gritty and bleak world of Yasmine. He makes her street smart and yet distraught at times not able to accept her fate that there’s very little future ahead. He keeps the story moving along at a nice pace with no time to get bored, but with a story so damning I was hoping for more.
Making the short story work, Annapurna Sriram is brilliant as the lost soul Yasmine. Her facial expressions tell more than the dialogue she’s been handed, but that’s what makes it great. Each scene is a tableau of the different drifters that make up the hard hearted city, and with each minute that goes by another story begins.
Not many directors can do what Andrew Wonder presents in this compassionate slice of life, and for that, the film’s a must see. Now available on VOD and digital bring Yasmine home and invite yourself into her shoes.
Feral has been not been rated by the MPAA, but contains language and a quick scene of brutality.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Take a walk in Yasmine’s shoes. (4 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Annapurna Sriram
Directed by: Andrew Wonder
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, language
Running Time: 1 hr. 14 min.
Opening Date: June 2, 2020
Distributed by: 1091 Media
Released in: VOD, Digital