The Obsessions of Dogs & Raw Meat
The Carnivores (2020) tells the story of Brett & Alice along with Brett’s dog, Harvie. The pair have the perfect little family until Harvie becomes unwell and needs treatment and Alice, a vegan, sleepwalks/talks and is fascinated by raw meat. What follows is the trouble and turmoil of self doubt and suspicion in the relationship.
Written & Directed by Caleb Michael Johnson, the movie is inspired by real events that Caleb has experienced previously with his partner who too sleepwalks/talks and is the blend of how shocking it is to be reminded of how far away the person you love is once they get far into that trance of sleep.
The Film
The Carnivores sets the scene up nicely, we establish from the get go that Alice has a fascination with meat and that Harvie isn’t at all well and needs treatment. We also learn that Alice isn’t very fond of Harvie as he is the barrier between herself and Brett and tries everything to get rid of him. The unhealthy obsession that Brett has with her dog is the driving force for our two characters and how each of them uncover secrets not just about each other, but themselves in the process.
The cinematography is brilliant and the camerawork too is exceptional with some experimental and bold choices made by Caleb which for me personally paid off well and made the film all the more thrilling and in someways scary. The use of slowly zooming the camera in on our characters mirror reflection whilst they are driving is something I don’t see much in films, of at all. It added a sense of confusion and mystery to our characters who too are lost in this cloud of confusion as to who they really are and where they stand with each other. A scene in particular is when we see Alice driving away from Harvie and we see her contemplating her choices.
The image above is a really compelling and pivot part in the film, it shows the separation of our two main characters and the line in between them shows/tells us that they aren’t connected together like they use to be, both of them our in there own little worlds and are lost in the confusion of where they stand with each other, does Brett love Harvie more than Alice? Is Alice really a meat eater?. These are the questions I got whilst watching this scene and made me think if this too is what both characters are thinking within that moment together.
The Cast
Our two main lead characters are Brett, played by Lindsey Burdge (Her Smell, Frances Ha) and Alice, played by Tallie Medel (Sylvio, Notes on an Apperence) and both bring a strong and connecting performance that makes you feel confused and put in the cloud of smoke surrounding their relationship. I was particularly impressed with Tallie Medel‘s performance as we see her character turn more and more ravenous for meat and her body language resembles that of early human existence when we first walked this earth hungry for our next meal.
I also particularly enjoyed the character of Roger, played by Vincent James Prendergast (Baghead, Red Charisma) who brought some of the best comedic lines I’ve heard in a while. A line in particular that has stuck in my head was “ Get a female dog in a swimsuit, the hottest dog to have ever existed”, I cried laughing at that for a good 5 minutes after hearing it.
To Conclude
The Carnivores (2020) is an alternative love story of self doubt, confusion and finding your inner self that blends the horrors of sleepwalking and carnivorous behaviour in a truly excellent way that is sure to make you feel sick in parts and make you hug and love your dog/s all the more.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5