TIFF 2021: Wolf Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

When a film about a man who believes he’s a wolf starring one of the young and up-and-coming actors, George McKay, is announced, it is cause for fascination. From there, the question becomes what can the filmmakers take what is admittedly an unconventional premise on paper. When it comes to the aptly-titled Wolf, the answer to that is not very far. Though the film was not without its moments and boasted plenty of style and vision and McKay certainly delivers as the lead, it didn’t go very far with its premise like it wasn’t sure what to do with it which was a little disappointing. However, it’s hard to set one’s expectations for any film about a man who believed himself to be a wolf. Essentially staying in the same lane over the course of its 90 minute running time, at least it didn’t wear out its welcome but one can still not help but want more from it.

As mentioned, Wolf follows a young man named Jacob (McKay) who believed he was a wolf. As a result, his parents brought him to a clinic run by an unconventional psychologist named Dr. Mann (Considine) and his controversial methods to try and cure him of his condition. There, he met another patient named Cecile (Depp) who believed herself to be a wild cat. As their relationship grew, Jacob’s resolve would be tested as the story saw him fight against his own primal urges which stood between he and getting better. While this conflict was a somewhat compelling one to watch, the overall film could have used more depth in terms of character development as it does not approach Jacob, Cecile, or any of the other patients with any kind of depth, Instead, the film never seemed interested in doing more than parading around the other patients and their designated animals with no sense of purpose whatsoever.

The best part of Wolf is of course McKay’s decent performance as Jacob. He definitely commits to the wolf aspects of Jacob but he brings more to the table as the conflicted young man. It’s just a shame that the film couldn’t tap into that more. Depp was underwritten and dull as Cecile, a thin and empty love interest. Considine as Dr. Mann was entertaining to watch as the straight man of the film, acknowledging the ridiculousness of it all while playing up the contrast between the patients and their delusions.

In the end, Wolf may not all work as a film but if anything should be applauded for taking risks and trying to do something different.

 still courtesy of TIFF

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.