The Godmother

Animal Kingdom looks rather epic. I personally find the trailer pretty effective. Because:

1. The shot of grandma saying, “You’ve done some bad things sweetie” is particularly haunting.

2. The slow, retro Air supply song aestheticizes the violence and action shown subsequently, giving the trailer an undeniably sad yet poetically thrilling quality.

I’ve watched the critically acclaimed Animal Kingdom not knowing it is based on a real life celebrity criminal family. For a Hollywood Crime/Thriller, the plot seems almost typical for its genre, but knowing the story is half true, quarter true, or even remotely true makes this film even more alluring.

The real “Janine ‘Smurf’ Cody”

Judy Moran. 66 years old. Recognizable by her blow-dried blonde hair and designer gear. Also happens to be the matriarch of “Melbourne’s (Australia) most notorious criminal family.”

For those of you who are interested in the story behind this woman, you can check out her outrageously cinematic life from Wikipedia [link] or alternatively, you can buy her autobiography.

In short, she recently alarmed the public with her infamous connection with the murder of her brother in law, Des “Tuppence” Moran. He was shot 7 times in the head/upper torso inside a café in Melbourne in broad daylight. This might sound too strenuous for a 66-year-old grandma. Allow me to clarity: Judy was not charged with pulling the trigger, but allegedly orchestrated the murder. She apparently congratulated the gunman by “patting him on the back” when Des Moran was confirmed dead. She ordered that he also remove the clothes and murder weapon, so she could "dispose of them". These items were later discovered that evening by a police officer in a safe behind a bookshelf at her house.

According to a very reliable source (internet),

“Moran apparently commemorates her dead relatives with potted roses in her garden, and sometimes speaks to them over a cup of coffee.”

Dramatic? I certainly think so. Her life is certainly made for the movies. Her semimetal moments are just as thrilling as the deaths around her. And indeed, hints of Moron could be seen in Jackie Weaver’s character in Animal Kingdom (Janine “Smurf” Cody); whom the Australian actress played with such persuasion that she picked up a myriad of awards and nominations.

With Judy publishing an autobiography and walking around Melbourne with her designer shades, stilettos, and posse; it makes one wonder why nobody thought of arresting this notoriously stylish matriarch before.