Actor Paul Dano has gained such a reputation with powerful performances in films like There Will Be Blood, Little Miss Sunshine, Swiss Army Man, Prisoners, Youth, and the BBC Miniseries War and Peace. His debut as a director is an interesting take of married life in the eyes of a kid.

Wildlife tells the story of Jeannette Brinson (Carey Mulligan) and Jerry Brinson (Jake Gyllenhaal) a family who just moved to Great Falls, Montana with their teenage son Joe (Ed Oxenbould) Joe personality is always volatile, making him unstable on most of the jobs he is in. One day he is fired from a job at a golf course at a country club. He is offered the job back due to mistakes made by his boss, refusing it out of pride. Their relationship growth tense day today. Jeannette decided to find a job as a swimming instructor to help the family and Joe started working as an assistant in a photography studio.

Great Falls, Montana is very vulnerable to fire, so Jerry finds an opportunity working as a firefighter. Jeannette argues with Jerry because he enrolls on this difficult job, for her is a life or death experience where the firefighter spent so much time away from home.

Jeannette meets Warren Miller (Bill Camp) while she is teaching him how to swim, later becoming romantically involved. Jeannette leaves alone Joe several times to spend time with Miller. Joe argues with her several times about the affair but also questioning her relationship with Jerry.

Paul Dano is a strong start. Dano makes a good film with a strong cast. Ed Oxenbould as Joe is excellent. Wildlife is a story of love and dispairs in a small town where life goes on while nature is destroyed by sometimes the human hand and rescued at the same time.