American Animals: Lives Less Ordinary

"This is not based on a true story," are the words that appear on the screen at the beginning of this engaging movie. "This is a true story."

It could also be said that American Animals is not a documentary or an action flick, but a hybrid, an "actumentary" if you will.

It's a tale of four bored college students who fear living ordinary lives and decide to do something to catapult themselves into the extraordinary zone. Their plan is to steal valuable books from the college library. And, of course, the Movie Slut will not tell you what happened.

The four guys, now in their thirties, are on hand to tell their story, while actors provide the action. Moviegoers are used to lightening-paced action films, which this is not. At the same time, there's enough activity to keep you on the edge of your seat and, at the same time, interested in understanding what made four previously law-abiding citizens undertake such a risky, criminal deed.