The six Angulo brothers and their younger sister live in an apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan.  Since they rarely venture out of their apartment, they learn about the world outside by watching and reenacting movies.  They painstakingly transcribe dialogue and recreate props and costumes from their favorite films and act them out in their cramped apartment.

The Angulos’ cardboard and duct tape Batman

That part is fun.  Then, there’s real life.  The boys live with their mom and dad, too.  Dad, part cult leader/part drunken asshole, decided years ago that the kids would be home-schooled and rarely, if ever go outside.  Dad only goes out for groceries and wine.  Mom, who drank the Kool-Aid years ago, rarely goes out herself since her husband has the only key.  Neither he nor his wife has a job.

The boys watching a film in their apartment.

The kids, the oldest of whom is about 18, sport thigh-length hair because Dad says so.  They seem remarkably well-adjusted despite their veal-like upbringing.  The boys are bright, curious, and articulate.  Most people would have gone out of their tree a long time before this, but they’re resourceful, loyal, and quick to smile.  First time director Crystal Moselle hit the jackpot with THE WOLFPACK.  According to Moselle, she ran into the six boys during one of their rare field trips into the world.  She befriended them and they invited her into their home to film.  The family makes for a fascinating subject.  Even footage of their making dinner and watching movies entertains.  As harrowing as the kids’ lives are, they maintain a positive outlook and there is hope.  When one of the older boys goes over the wall one day, it opens the door for the others to follow.  Soon they’re walking down the street together and even going to see a movie.

A happy excursion

THE WOLFPACK documents the lives of children deprived of the normal social interaction they need to learn and grow and how resilient kids are.  It also shows that power-crazed idiots shouldn’t have children.

Highly recommended.

I saw THE WOLFPACK as part of the 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival.