Written and directed by Ethan Hawke, co-written by Shelby Gaines, following the life of writer Flannery O’Connor while she was struggling to publish her first novel. Starring: Maya Hawke, Laura Linney, Philip Ettinger, Rafael Casal, Steve Zahn, Cooper Hoffman, Willa Fitzgerald, Alessandro Nivola, Vincent D’Onofrio, Christine Dye, Liam Neeson and John E. Brownlee.
Unsurprisingly for a film made by Ethan Hawke, Wildcat has an eccentric and energetic atmosphere right off the bat. It has a feel of being made by someone who loves films and has injected that into the project. Hawke does a great job of creating the period setting, along with Steve Cosens’ cinematography, there’s a superb texture and grain to the aesthetic. It brings a certain warmth and charm reminiscent of classic cinema, particularly through its endearing colouring work. Although, while the quality of the visual is fantastic, the way that the film moves is erratic to say the least.
Simply put, Wildcat won’t be for everyone, it’s a strange and unusual foray into reality versus fiction which plays to the beat of its own drum. It doesn’t follow conventional storytelling, it jumps around from place to place in a rather hectic manner, following a bunch of eclectic characters, both real and fictional. It’s a little bit of a hot mess but at the same time, there is an undeniable charm to its chaos, and a lot of that comes from Maya Hawke’s performance.
While the film may be far from Hawke’s first foray into period film and television, she’s incredibly suited to this particular era. It’s an immaculate fit with her look and cadence, she perfectly melds into this character and fills her with such dedication, power and resilience, yet also a surprising amount of vulnerability. The casting work as a whole is terrific, particularly Laura Linney and Steve Zahn, who are both always a benefit to any project they appear in.
Wildcat is exactly the type of film that you’d expect Ethan Hawke to make, it’s eclectic and fills itself with charming unorganised chaos. It blends together biography with fiction in a strange and sporadic way, and yet while it lacks focus and a clear path to follow, it’s endearing and surprisingly captivating. An aspect which is in no small part due to Maya Hawke leading the way, supported by an excellent ensemble. It has a strong aesthetic, presence and while it may be held back by its messy journey, it’s still one worth taking.
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