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Only the Animals (2021) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Only the Animals (2021) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2021 · 116 min · French
Echo score 80
JustWatch #7,475 11
Directed by
Dominik Moll
Starring
Damien Bonnard, Laure Calamy, Bastien Bouillon, Denis Menochet, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Colin Niel
Budget
$5M

When a mysterious woman disappears during a severe blizzard in the French countryside, a complex web of secrets begins to unravel. Police investigating her vanishing discover that five individuals, initially appearing unconnected, are deeply intertwined with her past. As they delve further, long-buried truths and hidden lies surface, forcing each person to confront a dangerous and unsettling reality.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Only the Animals
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Only the Animals (2021)

Where can you watch Only the Animals? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Kanopy, Tubi TV and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Only the Animals Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Only the Animals (2021), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Alice Farange (Laure Calamy)

    Alice is a complex character torn between duty and desire. As an insurance agent, she navigates her professional responsibilities while engaging in a passionate but secretive affair with Joseph. Her struggle with her emotions and the consequences of her actions shape her journey, leading to a tragic confrontation with her life and relationships.

    • 👩‍❤️‍💔 Love
    • 😔 Conflict
    • 🚪 Secrets
  • Joseph Bonnefille (Damien Bonnard)

    Joseph is depicted as a lonely and introspective farmer, grappling with haunting guilt and emotional turmoil. His relationship with Alice introduces a momentary escape from his solitude, but ultimately leads him down a dark path. Joseph's character embodies the struggle between desire and morality, revealing the depths of despair he experiences.

    • 🌾 Solitude
    • 💔 Guilt
    • 🌪️ Turmoil
  • Michel (Denis Ménochet)

    played by Denis Menochet

    Michel is portrayed as an emotionally volatile character whose possessiveness and jealousy deeply affect those around him. His interactions with Alice are filled with tension, ultimately leading to tragic misunderstandings. The unraveling of his character showcases the destructive power of jealousy and suspicion.

    • 😡 Jealousy
    • 💢 Violence
    • 🎭 Complexity
  • Evelyne Ducat (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi)

    Evelyne is a nuanced character whose desire for connection leads to complex relationships. Her interactions with Marion reveal her emotional vulnerabilities and yearning for intimacy. However, her precarious situation ultimately culminates in tragedy, highlighting the consequences of her choices.

    • 💖 Passion
    • ❓ Mystery
    • 🌌 Vulnerability
  • Cédric Vigier (Bastien Bouillon)

    Cédric serves as the local policeman attempting to uncover the truth behind the missing woman. His character represents law and order, juxtaposed against the chaos of the other characters' lives. Cédric's inquiries reflect the community's struggle to confront uncomfortable truths.

    • 👮‍♂️ Law
    • 🔦 Investigation
    • 😕 Confusion
  • Marion (Nadia Tereszkiewicz)

    Marion is a young and passionate waitress who finds herself entangled in a romantic relationship with Evelyne. Her character embodies youthful desire and the quest for love, but her longing leads to unforeseen confrontations. Marion's story highlights the vulnerability and intensity of first love.

    • 💞 Love
    • 🌊 Desire
    • ❗ Conflict

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:34

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Setting

Where and When Does Only the Animals Take Place?

The setting of Only the Animals (2021): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The events influence the darker themes of the narrative, reflecting modern societal issues through the characters' intertwined lives. The harsh winter setting creates a stark contrast to the warmth of interpersonal relationships, shaping their decisions and consequences.

Location

Abidjan, French Massif Central, Sète

Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast, is known for its bustling markets and vibrant culture. The French Massif Central features rugged landscapes and picturesque farms, often blanketed by harsh winters. Sète is a charming coastal town famous for its seafood and artistic heritage, serving as a backdrop for the passionate encounters in the story.

  • 🏙️ City
  • 🏔️ Mountains
  • 🌊 Sea

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:34

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3 major themes

Only the Animals Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Only the Animals (2021) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Infidelity

    Infidelity weaves a central thread through the narrative, impacting relationships and lives dramatically. Alice's affair with Joseph serves as a catalyst for chaos, stirring jealousy and leading to destructive confrontations. The theme explores the nuances of love, betrayal, and the consequences of secret desires.

  • Mystery

    A pervasive sense of mystery runs throughout the film, particularly around the disappearance of Evelyne and the secrets of the main characters. The unfolding layers of deception and hidden truths create an atmosphere of suspense that keeps the audience engaged. This theme not only drives the plot but also highlights the impact of choices made amidst uncertainty.

  • Tragedy

    Tragedy is a potent theme, driven by the characters' fateful decisions and intertwined destinies. The film examines the emotional and psychological toll of their actions, often culminating in irreversible consequences. The tragic outcomes serve as poignant reminders of how quickly life can spiral out of control when desire, jealousy, and guilt intersect.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:34

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Character & theme questions

Only the Animals Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Only the Animals (2021): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie set?

The story takes place across multiple locations: Abidjan (the economic capital of Ivory Coast), the French Massif Central with its rugged mountain landscapes and harsh winters, and Sète, a coastal town in southern France known for its seafood and artistic heritage.

  • setting
  • locations
  • Abidjan
  • Sète
  • Massif Central
  • France
Q2

What time period does the story take place in?

The film is set in the modern era, reflecting contemporary societal issues through its characters' interwoven lives. While no specific year is given, the technology, fashion, and social dynamics align with present-day settings.

  • time period
  • modern era
  • contemporary
Q3

What is the significance of the winter setting?

The harsh winter in the French Massif Central creates a stark contrast to the warmth of interpersonal relationships, shaping character decisions and consequences. The isolation and brutal cold amplify the emotional tension and sense of entrapment felt by the characters.

  • winter
  • cold
  • isolation
  • atmosphere
Q4

What are the main themes of the movie?

The film explores three interconnected themes: Infidelity, which serves as a catalyst for chaos and destructive confrontations; Mystery, centering on disappearance and hidden truths that create suspense; and Tragedy, which examines how fateful decisions lead to irreversible consequences and emotional devastation.

  • themes
  • infidelity
  • mystery
  • tragedy
  • betrayal
Q5

How does the film explore infidelity?

Infidelity weaves through the narrative as Alice's affair with Joseph becomes a catalyst for chaos, stirring jealousy and leading to destructive confrontations. The theme explores the nuances of love, betrayal, and the consequences of secret desires.

  • infidelity
  • affair
  • betrayal
  • love
  • Alice
  • Joseph
Q6

What role does mystery play in the story?

A pervasive sense of mystery runs throughout the film, particularly around Evelyne's disappearance and the secrets of the main characters. The unfolding layers of deception and hidden truths create suspense that drives the plot and highlights the impact of choices made amidst uncertainty.

  • mystery
  • disappearance
  • secrets
  • deception
  • Evelyne
Q7

Who is Alice and what is her role in the story?

Alice Farange is an insurance agent who engages in a passionate but secretive affair with Joseph. She is torn between duty and desire, and her struggle with the consequences of her actions shapes her journey, leading to tragic confrontations with her relationships.

  • Alice
  • character
  • insurance agent
  • affair
  • Joseph
Q8

Who is Joseph and what defines him?

Joseph Bonnefille is a lonely, introspective farmer in the French Massif Central, grappling with haunting guilt and emotional turmoil. His relationship with Alice offers a temporary escape from solitude but ultimately leads him down a dark path, embodying the struggle between desire and morality.

  • Joseph
  • farmer
  • guilt
  • solitude
  • desire
  • morality
Q9

Who is Michel and what is his relationship to Alice?

Michel is an emotionally volatile character whose possessiveness and jealousy deeply affect those around him. His tense interactions with Alice are filled with suspicion, ultimately contributing to tragic misunderstandings that showcase the destructive power of jealousy.

  • Michel
  • jealousy
  • possessiveness
  • Alice
  • tension
Q10

Who is Evelyne and why is she important?

Evelyne Ducat is a nuanced character whose desire for connection leads to complex relationships. Her interactions with Marion reveal her emotional vulnerabilities and yearning for intimacy, and her disappearance drives much of the mystery that unfolds throughout the film.

  • Evelyne
  • disappearance
  • Marion
  • vulnerability
  • connection
Q11

Who is Marion and what is her story?

Marion is a young, passionate waitress who becomes entangled in a romantic relationship with Evelyne. Her character embodies youthful desire and the quest for love, with her longing leading to unforeseen confrontations that highlight the intensity of first love.

  • Marion
  • waitress
  • Evelyne
  • young love
  • desire
Q12

What role does the policeman Cédric play?

Cédric Vigier serves as the local policeman investigating the missing woman. His character represents law and order contrasting with the chaos of other characters' lives, and his inquiries reflect the community's struggle to confront uncomfortable truths.

  • Cédric
  • policeman
  • investigation
  • law
  • order

Movie threads

More Movies Like Only the Animals, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Only the Animals tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with interconnected fates like Only the Animals

Stories where distant lives collide through chance, deception, and tragedy. If you liked the complex web of connections in Only the Animals, explore more movies where separate lives collide with tragic consequences. These similar drama thrillers use nonlinear storytelling to unravel secrets and showcase how chance encounters and hidden lies bind characters together in a fatalistic design.

  • interconnected
  • tragic
  • fatalistic
  • suspenseful
  • ironic
  • complex
  • Tone: dark, tragic, mysterious
  • Pacing: variable, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a central, disruptive event that exposes the hidden threads between characters. The plot unfolds through multiple perspectives, often jumping in time, to show how individual actions, driven by obsession, love, or greed, unknowingly contribute to a collective downfall. The structure is designed to make the audience piece together the puzzle, leading to a climax that highlights the inescapable entanglement of every character's fate.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on interconnected narrative structures and themes of fatalism. They create a similar viewing experience of piecing together a puzzle, feeling the growing dread as isolated storylines converge, and being left with a bleak contemplation on chance and consequence.

Bleak investigation thrillers like Only the Animals

Crime stories where the investigation exposes darker human truths than the crime itself. For viewers who appreciated the oppressive and tragic investigation in Only the Animals, this list features similar mystery and crime movies. These films focus on how a probe into a crime unravels the dark secrets and moral compromises of the characters, leading to heavy, bleak conclusions without redemption.

  • bleak
  • suspenseful
  • oppressive
  • tragic
  • psychological
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, bleak, oppressive
  • Pacing: variable, atmospheric
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows an investigation that acts as a catalyst, churning up the past and forcing characters to confront their lies and weaknesses. The plot is character-driven, prioritizing the psychological impact of the inquiry over procedural details. The journey is one of escalating tension and dread, as each revelation deepens the sense of tragedy, culminating in an ending that confirms the destructive nature of the secrets exposed.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and the central theme of a investigation causing moral collapse. They deliver a consistent vibe of suspenseful melancholy, where the process of uncovering the truth is more devastating than the truth itself.

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Movies Like Only the Animals

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Every angle

Only the Animals (2021) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Only the Animals in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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