Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington Face a Nightmare of Politics, Money, and Secrets in Animals
Reel Perspectives
October 8, 2026
What happens when your child is kidnapped, and your political future depends on securing the Latino vote? That’s the nightmare facing Ben Affleck’s Mark Kimball in Animals, a new crime thriller that brings together a kidnapping and a $7 million ransom, backed by Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company Affleck runs with Matt Damon.
Affleck plays Mark, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose world is turned upside down when his son is kidnapped. Mark and his wife, played by Kerry Washington, scramble to raise the $7 million needed to get their child back, but finding the money is only part of the problem. As the pressure mounts, secrets surface, exposing cracks in their marriage and forcing the couple to hire a professional fixer.
One of the most interesting things about Animals is how Mark’s personal crisis runs parallel to his political ambitions. His campaign depends on convincing voters that he is an honest man who understands their struggles, and he knows he needs the Latino vote to have any real chance of winning. He speaks Spanish at public appearances, making a point of connecting with the community he hopes to represent. Yet that public image clashes with his refusal to help his undocumented nanny’s boyfriend find work. It’s a contradiction that says a lot about the difference between knowing what voters want to hear and actually being willing to help the people whose support you need.
That tension could have been explored further, especially with immigration playing such a significant role in the film’s political backdrop. Mark needs the Latino community to believe in him, but his own actions raise questions about how genuine his concern really is. The political hypocrisy feels uncomfortably familiar and adds a layer beyond the usual kidnapping thriller. When the truth comes out that the wrong boy has been kidnapped, the situation becomes even more complicated, raising questions about loyalty, responsibility, and personal accountability.
While Mark tries to keep his campaign and family from falling apart, Washington brings the emotional stakes needed for the thriller to have impact. The couple must work together to save their son, even as the marital secrets threaten to pull their marriage apart.
Gillian Anderson makes a real impression as Dayle Burton, the professional, enigmatic fixer brought in to procure the $7 million ransom. From the moment she enters the frame in her stilettos, she commands attention. Dayle is cold, calculating, and ruthless, with the confidence of someone who knows exactly how to get what she wants. Anderson gives the character a commanding presence that legitimately sends chills. When she professionally records a transaction and explains how power is obtained, Dayle is always several steps ahead of everyone else.
Steven Yeun also joins the ensemble as Mark's campaign manager who wants to win at all costs, and at times it feels like his character should be doing so much more but is confined by the script. Adriana Paz plays Cecilia Trujillo, the family nanny; Luis Gerardo Méndez plays Ramon, Cecilia's boyfriend; and Ray Fisher plays Ron Sperling, harboring a major secret.
Ultimately, Animals is an intriguing film with plenty to chew on. The political imagery, the questions surrounding immigration, the marital secrets, and the desperate scramble for money all have the ingredients for a compelling thriller. Some of its most interesting political parallels could have used a little more room to breathe, but the combination of Affleck and Washington, along with Anderson’s riveting performance, makes this a film worth checking out.
Animals is streaming on Netflix and is available in select theaters.
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