“My Animal” is one of the sexiest movies at Sundance this year, which is no small feat. Sometimes, it veers into slightly taboo territory: Heather’s bed is festooned with chains that restrict her from causing trouble during full moons, and she’s drawn to female bodybuilders and “Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.” It wasn’t all my cup of tea — especially a fantasy homaging one of the grosser parts of the classic Japanese film “Tampopo” — but I can appreciate the intense erotic energy on display. Menuez and Stenberg have incredible chemistry, which thrums throughout the film.
The big conflict of the story ultimately comes down to self-acceptance. Heather is on a path to accepting herself as a lesbian, while Jonny doesn’t want to do the same. Accepting herself as a werewolf seemingly helps Heather accept herself as gay, but it’s worth noting that within the film’s internal metaphors, these are intersectional, but not identical issues. Just because someone is a werewolf doesn’t mean they can’t also be homophobic, as the scenes in which Heather deals with her dysfunctional family amply prove. “My Animal” also boasts intriguing subtext regarding gender non-conformity: A scene in which Heather goes in the men’s locker room in the hopes of joining the men’s hockey team is perhaps the film’s most direct suggestion that she might hold a more fluid identity than the 1980s allowed for.
