After Being Cut Off from the Outside World, These Siblings Find New Freedom

The Angulo brothers in "The Wolfpack"
Photo Credit: Variety.com

New York City is full of fascinating people, and every one of them has a story.  Sometimes, you might be walking the crowded streets, see certain people, and then wonder what their lives are like.  In director Crystal Moselle’s ceaselessly intriguing documentary, “The Wolfpack,” she follows a group of siblings with a shockingly true story to tell.

In Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the Angulo family’s seven children (six boys and one girl) have been kept in their apartment all of their lives, being homeschooled by their mother and only allowed to go outside a few times a year, if at all.  During this time, the siblings have used movies as way to withdraw from the troubles of their home life.  One day, 15-year-old Mukunda ventures out of the apartment, against his father’s wishes, which causes a gradual increase in curiosity of the outside world among the siblings that soon leads them to experiencing the world in ways they never imagined they would.

One of the best parts of the film is seeing the siblings act out some well-known movies, such as “The Dark Knight,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “Reservoir Dogs.”  Movies have become their escape from reality and the closest form of reality that they have, so watching them play these characters shows how much this sense of escape is important to them.  The siblings’ devotion to film can be seen in how many movies they have watched, the lists they keep of their favorites, and watching movies with the subtitles on in order to write scripts for when they act out the films.  Their love for cinema is depicted in these details that show how much time they dedicate to making their imaginations come alive. 

Moselle does a thorough job with delving into the mysterious lives of her subjects, shedding light on how the siblings feel about being shut in, the parents’ reasoning behind keeping the family in the apartment for over a decade, and the overall dynamic of the family that very often reveals a sense of tension.  We are also given an opportunity to see this family disclose its history to the camera, a history that is equally unsettling and engaging to learn about.

As you’re watching the film, it’s wonderful to see these siblings experience outside life for the first time, particularly when they get to watch a movie in an actual theater, instead of just watching one on a television in their apartment.  We also get to see them walking the city streets, riding on public transportation, and visiting the beach, and Moselle captures these moments beautifully.  Little events such as these are what these siblings deserved to have in their lives, and you’re overjoyed when they finally have them.  

In a story about siblings liberating themselves from their dreary reality with the help of movies, it’s wonderful to see a film about them experiencing true liberation from the walls of their sheltered existence.

Final grade: A