All the Little Animals

Based on a novel by Walker Hamilton, this film marks the directorial debut of frequent Bertolucci producer Jeremy Thomas. Christian Bale plays Bobby, a 24-year-old with minor brain damage as a result of a childhood accident (since this is a movie, said brain damage equates to him being really sensitive and going crazy if the plot calls for it). Following his mother's death, he is left in the care of his malevolent stepfather, known only as "The Fat" (the inherently terrifying Daniel Benzali), and given an ultimatum: sign over his inheritance or be committed to an insane asylum for the rest of his life. Choosing neither, Bobby runs away from the city into the woods of Cornwall, where he befriends Summers (John Hurt), an alcoholic recluse with a hatred for people and a passion for all other living things. Soon the two are off trekking across the English countryside, sabotaging traps and burying roadkill. For childlike animal lover Bobby, this all seems idyllic, but soon The Fat comes back into the picture, forcing the obligatory dramatic showdown. The film wants to be a modern-day fairy tale, and when the focus is on Bobby discovering the wonders of nature it almost works. Benzali's character, however, is far too Darth Vader-ish to be believable, and the climactic chase scene could have been taken from a made-for-cable B-movie.