Based on Richard Ford’s 1990 titular novel, actor-turned-director Paul Dano’s Wildlife is an intimate family drama mostly seen through the perspective of 14-year-old Joe Brinson (Ed Oxenbould), who lives with his thirty-something parents—Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Jeanette (Carey Mulligan)—in small-town Montana in 1960. Jerry has had difficulties holding on to jobs so the Brinsons have moved around a bit; now, Joe is settling into to a new high school, Jerry performs ground maintenance at the local golf club, and Jeannette plays the dutiful homemaker. But this momentarily stable situation is quickly upended when Jerry is fired for making side bets with clients on the links. And when he refuses to take his job back after his boss reconsiders, Jeannette and Joe go looking for part-time work. As days pass, unemployed Jerry becomes increasingly frustrated and then impulsively decides to leave town to fight a wildfire in the distant mountains. Feeling abandoned, Jeannette begins to unravel, becoming involved with a predatory car dealer (Bill Camp), while Joe helplessly looks on, hoping that his father will return soon. Wildlife is a fine, slow-burning coming-of-age tale that shows admirable restraint from debut director Dano, who coaxes excellent performances from all three principals. Extras include interviews with cast and crew (including Dano’s screenwriting partner and spouse Zoe Kazan), a conversation on the film’s postproduction (with Dano, editor Matthew Hannam, and composer David Lang), a Lincoln Center interview with Dano and author Ford, and a booklet with an essay by critic Mark Harris. Recommended.