Zoё (Natalie Press) is a single mother of four, and she doesn’t have enough money to buy her kids food. However, when a guy from her past resurfaces her priorities shift, and a night out with friends moves to the forefront of her agenda. Life is difficult, but the decisions that Zoё makes will make things even harder. Wasp is a tragic story of motherhood and poverty.
It’s rare that a film’s lead character possesses absolutely no redeeming qualities, but Wasp’s Zoё is an example of this. She’s horrible, dirty, a poor mother, selfish, and the list goes on and on. I’m not sure that you can use one specific word to describe Zoё, because there are so many foul qualities present within the character. As Wasp drives forward and Zoё becomes more and more frustrating, I found that her four children ultimately become the protagonists of the film. The four young children (Kelly, Sinead, Leanne, and Kai) are a bright spot in an otherwise harrowing story of struggle and poverty.
Viewers will feel uncomfortable throughout the course of the film, and that comes as a result of the darkness present in the narrative. Each and every scenario is terribly uneasy: a mother neglecting her children, a family not being able to eat, and subtle but obvious misogyny. Nothing about Wasp makes you feel good, and nothing about it hints that anything good is to come. Wasp is heartbreaking, impeccably hard to digest, and ultimately crippling. The distressing nature of the film, in its entirety, however, is interestingly enjoyable. A little discomfort can be a good thing–it can humble a person, level them out, and that’s exactly what Wasp does for each and every one of its viewers.
I felt gross watching this film, disgusted; there were even times when I felt sick to my stomach as I watched some of the worst possible things come to fruition. For a film to do this to someone, especially someone who doesn’t typically show emotion when watching films (me), the script has to be truly incredible. Writer-Director Andrea Arnold creates a riveting script–but even better, she employs a series of talented individuals to carry out her vision and bring it to life. Press is great, her counterpart, Danny Dyer (Dave), is also wonderful–but the children steal the show. They aren’t only capable of bringing Arnold’s vision to live, they exude brilliance, excellence, even perfection from time to time. The casting, particularly that of the four children, is perfect–and Wasp thrives as a result.
Location, location, location! There are always ways to get around poor filming locations, but the reality is that a good set is better than a lousy one. Finding a way to represent the whole of the film through the sets and locations can be pivotal. The filming locations are dark and dingy, keeping pace with the overall tone of the film. Wasp becomes more real, honest, and accessible as a result of the filming locations–and viewers become wrapped up in the narrative.
Wasp is a film that had me fully on board from the opening moments. The narrative is frustrating, sickening, and completely engrossing. Arnold’s film forces you to question the world in which we live, but it also allows us to step outside of ourselves and analyze the simplicity of Zoё’s story. Nothing about Wasp will make you feel good, but the narrative that Arnold creates and brings to life with her talented cast and crew is one-of-a-kind, brilliant, and interestingly inspiring.
Written & Directed by Andrea Arnold.
Starring Natlie Press, Danny Dyer, Jodie Mitchell, Molly Griffiths, Kaitlyn Raynor, Danny Daley, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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