TIFF ’21 Review: ‘Wolf’ transfixes audiences with its wild perception

Discovering one’s self-identity is an intricate part of adolescence and can be complicated by any number of factors, from childhood traumas to social anxieties to peer pressure to various forms of shaming. Navigating new feelings and body changes in an environment that can be unforgiving makes it that much more difficult to explore the possibilities these things represent. Unfortunately, finding what feels most natural is not always the most accepted by the world, resulting in rejection and ostracization. In Wolf, teens who identify as animals are admitted to an institution that specializes in curing them so they can reintegrate into “normal” society.

Jacob (George MacKay) appears to be an ordinary teenage boy, but he is of the firm belief that he was born in the wrong body — he believes he is actually a wolf trapped in human form. As his wild behaviour grows out of control, his parents feel there’s no other choice than to commit him to “the zoo,” a clinic specializing in helping people with species dysphoria. They beg him to get better, while Dr. Mann (Paddy Considine), a.k.a. “the zookeeper,” ensures them Jacob will once again be the human son they so desire. However, the effectiveness of his aggressive therapy tactics are questionable and push Jacob towards Wildcat (Lily-Rose Depp), a freewheeling patient that shows him freedom within their cage.

Writer/director Nathalie Biancheri’s sophomore feature was inspired by a happenstance article about species dysphoria. As her creative mind was stimulated by the idea of the condition, she only conducted light research into the real disorder and let her imagination do the rest. Thus, this isn’t a true-to-life examination of these people’s experiences or treatment, but rather an amplified fiction that takes many liberties, specifically with the therapy provided at the clinic. Dr. Mann’s aggressive and cruel tactics are reminiscent of the worst asylum remedies. He uses humiliation and physical torture to try to break his patients down and force them to accept they’re human. Separating these already distressed young people from their families, he preys on their vulnerability and disguises it as help. It can be relatively difficult to watch, even though real-life care (hopefully) wouldn’t at all resemble what’s depicted.

While Considine is eerily convincing as the callous doctor, the performances that truly bring this tale to life is that of the teens experiencing dysmorphia, particularly MacKay and Depp, though the ensemble is quite moving. Actors must inhabit a range of animals, from a parrot to duck to squirrel to German shepherd, which calls for varying specialized (mis)treatment by Mann. There’s a bit of a star-crossed lovers element to Jacob and Wildcat’s story as the facility forbids inter-patient romance and they’re inner animals are not compatible. Yet, there is a very intense scene in which the two engage in a feral flirtation that seems entirely fuelled by their primal instincts. As Wildcat has been a patient longer, she appears to have suppressed many of her non-human impulses — though she is far from cured and has a disturbing connection with one of the doctors. Conversely, Jacob’s wild disposition cannot be tamed. An invasion of his privacy reveals the uneasiness he feels in his body, while he never looks more at peace than when he’s running on all fours and howling at the moon.

The set design for the facility is intriguing as one area is constructed to simulate the outdoors, providing stimulation for their animal dispositions — if permitted. At night, Wildcat and Jacob’s playground is the dark hallways and rooftop. Most striking is the use of lighting and shadow so when he prowls the corridors, it occasionally looks as if an actual wolf is lurking in the darkness. It’s quite affecting and helps audiences reconcile his dysphoria. There’s a lot to unfurl, but Nathalie Biancheri’s sophomore feature is a gripping narrative that unconventionally tackles key aspects of adolescence.

Wolf is screening as part of the Special Presentations programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Read other reviews from the festival.

Director: Nathalie Biancheri
Starring: George MacKay, Lily-Rose Depp and Paddy Considine