07. Wolf (1994)

I have seen Wolf criticized for not doing much to Jack Nicholson’s appearance when he changes into a wolf man but I think that was the genius of the casting. Odd then that I thought Benicio Del Toro was miscast in Wolfman because he looked too creepy before he turned into the Wolfman. I think the reason for this is that where Nicholson did it through acting and posture, Del Toro was stuck with CGI. Whatever the case, Wolf was a great take on the werewolf myth that finds a book editor bitten by a wolf while driving home one night and uses the ensuing change to deal with being forced out of his job by his protege (James Spader) who is taking not just his job but his wife as often as he can. The changes complicate his life but also free him from the stresses as he is able to let go and let the animal in him take over. It is not without pain, however, as when he discovers that his wife is sleeping with his protege or when he accidentally turns his protege as well. Wolf presents a nice fantasy of being able to step outside your comfort zone and strike back at the forces keeping you down. Certainly in my current position I have wished more than once that I could be less helpless and more powerful and that fantasy is were Wolf works best.

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