ALPHA MALE

When Jim Ferris (Danny Huston, The Constant Gardener) dies, leaving behind a family fractured by his absence, his young son Jack is prematurely burdened with the responsibility of looking after the family. When Jim's widow Alice (Jennifer Ehle, Wilde, Possession) meets and marries a new man, Clive Lamis (Patrick Baladi, The Office), a firm wedge comes between Jack and the rest of the family. It is another eleven years before the rifts can even begin to heal as they all come together again for Jack's (Mark Wells, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe) 21st birthday weekend. Beautifully performed by a fine ensemble cast (Ehle simply sparkles), debutant writer-director Dan Wilde has beautifully crafted a superlative work that shows great courage in tackling head-on some of life’s bigger questions. Alpha Male is a perceptive and emotionally taut tale of family life: of bad parenting, family politics, repressed emotions, great love and devastating loss.