Jungleland

Some actors hit their peak early on. Others take more time to develop. Jack O’Connell has yet to truly hit his peak even though he started hot, and continues to get better. Then, there’s Charlie Hunnam. Hunnman has now had more than enough time to develop thanks to his long stint as ‘Jax Teller’ on Sons of Anarchy. O’Connell and Hunnam have now had the opportunity to co-lead alongside one another, most recently in the indie feature Jungleland. As expected, O’Connell just keeps raising game. Hunnman on the other hand, is now showing that he’s truly just getting started.

Jungleland begins as a sad set of circumstances, but soon becomes an inspiring story that ends with a heartfelt conclusion. Brothers Stanley and Walter are squatters, living in abandoned houses and working at a sewing factory

Jungleland begins as a sad set of circumstances, but soon becomes an inspiring story that ends with a heartfelt conclusion. Brothers Stanley and Walter are squatters, living in abandoned houses and working at a sewing factory. The two moonlight as a team at underground boxing matches, Walter having been a former professional taking part in the fights with Stanley managing him. It’s soon revealed that Stanley owes money to a small time crook but is given the opportunity to erase the debt should the brothers drive across the country to enter a sanctioned boxing tournament in California. Additionally, they are tasked with bringing with them a young girl who is of great importance to the head of their criminal enterprise.

Director Max Winkler comes to work in his third feature, also assisting Theodore Bressman and David Branson Smith with the writing. He takes a basic storyline and layers it with passion, principle, and above all else, perspective. There is a lot of compassion in Jungleland, mostly due to the familial nature of the movie but also in that of how people treat outsiders or those of whom are just not closely related. Though there’s much else that is packed into it, the actors are the obvious main ingredient. O’Connell is so convincingly American in this that it’s almost impossible to remember his thick Darby accent. He’s also an emotional catalyst to the film, a necessary component that is required and whose absence could not be permitted. Hunnam is arguably, the best he’s ever been. He plays off O’Connell superlatively, allowing himself to act WITH him and in no way AROUND him. His presence throughout the movie is unblemished, never seeming out of place or as though he doesn’t belong. Jungleland provides audiences a career best performance out of Hunnam and a highlight reel outing from O’Connell.

There’s little question here, Jungleland is the kind of story that will make even the most emotionless viewer crumble. There is simply too much about the movie that cuts deep into the psyche, forcing the audience to ‘feel’ without the fear of breaking down completely. Don’t take it as a challenge, but instead, consider it a dare. Dare to be vulnerable, and see Jungleland. It’s a must see for anyone who knows what it means to struggle, and what it feels like think “if I just get through this one thing, I can start over”.