Originally, Animal Kingdom was an Australian film released in 2010 and directed by David Michôd. The feature film was met with strong critical acclaim upon its release. As is often the case in Hollywood, the American industry later turned it into an adaptation. This time, the story became a television series broadcast on TNT between 2016 and 2022, spanning six seasons. Netflix later added the show to its catalogue.
The series portrays a toxic matriarch—bordering on symbolic incest—who raises gangsters almost as a way of life. Her grandson, who has just lost his mother to a heroin overdose, joins the family and gradually learns the rules of the trade.
Animal Kingdom: under the rule of “Smurf”
The Cody family is firmly ruled by a woman known as “Smurf”. The mother of this crew of robbers maintains extremely close and often unsettling ties with her sons, each of them more unstable than the last. Most members of the family live together in a Californian villa complete with a large swimming pool and the expected fleet of luxury vehicles.
“Smurf” dominates the family hierarchy. An ultra-protective mother, she treats her sons like children. The family environment is suffocating: there is no privacy, everything is known by everyone. “Smurf” controls the finances, while her sons—and her grandson—often behave like teenagers trying to escape parental supervision.
But that is not all: “Smurf” maintains deeply ambiguous relationships with members of her own family. This is precisely what makes the series—and especially David Michôd’s original film—so compelling. Instead of delivering a conventional gangster action story, Animal Kingdom, both in Michôd’s film and in the television adaptation overseen by Jonathan Lisco, explains the toxicity of each character through the original corruption embodied by this matriarch, whose relationship with her children introduced chaos into the family structure.
More than a simple crime story, Animal Kingdom ultimately emerges as a true psychological thriller.
Jonathan Lisco, the showrunner of the series, is a seasoned television professional who had previously worked on several productions such as Southland, Halt and Catch Fire, and K-Ville. In that sense, the series benefits from the guidance of an experienced showrunner.
The story of the Cody family is also loosely inspired by a real-life case. It echoes the history of an Australian crime family known as the Pettingills, who were involved in numerous criminal activities during the 1970s.
Animal Kingdom: from film to television
As often happens with such adaptations, the transition from film to television did not come without adjustments. The series adopts several conventions of modern American productions by placing greater emphasis on spectacle and the large-scale robberies carried out by the Cody family. It also becomes a story about “code” and family loyalty.
Nevertheless, the dark tone and the deeply toxic family dynamics remain well preserved in the series. Even if the logic of the entertainment industry adds a few more spectacular elements, the psychological core of the story remains intact.
The casting, meanwhile, is particularly strong. Animal Kingdom relies on a mix of established actors and television talents. In the role of Joshua “J” Cody, Finn Cole had already gained attention in Peaky Blinders, where he played Michael Gray.
The matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody is portrayed by Ellen Barkin, a respected figure in American cinema who notably appeared in Sea of Love alongside Al Pacino. Shawn Hatosy, who plays the troubled Pope, had previously been recognized for his role in Southland.
The character of Craig is played by Ben Robson, previously seen in Vikings. Meanwhile, Jake Weary, who portrays Deran Cody, had appeared in popular television series such as Chicago Fire and Pretty Little Liars. Finally, the role of Baz Blackwell is played by Scott Speedman, widely known for the fantasy film saga Underworld.
Together, these actors bring a strong dramatic intensity to the series and contribute to the psychological depth of the Cody clan.
Amid this atmosphere of chaos and dysfunction, Animal Kingdom ultimately stands out as a very watchable “binge watching” experience on Netflix.
