My Feral Heart
By Kat Halstead,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
British drama about healing and connection; strong language.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
My Feral Heart
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In MY FERAL HEART, Luke (Steven Brandon), a young man with Down syndrome, is made to live in a care home following the death of his mother. Used to his independence and the responsibility of caring for his late mother, he struggles with the strict rules and soon finds ways to escape the grounds into the countryside. The people he meets there -- a friendly groundsman (Will Rastall) and a mysterious girl (Pixie Le Knot) -- help Luke regain a sense of freedom, connection, and purpose.
Is It Any Good?
Two strong debuts -- one from lead actor Brandon and one from director Jane Gull -- set the tone in this warm drama about rediscovering purpose through friendship and connection. In My Feral Heart, things look pretty gloomy at the start. Luke's left mourning the loss of his mother followed quickly by his own independence when he's taken away to live in a care home against his will. While there are touching moments between him and his primary carer, Eve (Shana Swash), and an almost dreamlike encounter with an injured girl (Le Knot) who brings out his natural empathy, it is the easy friendship that develops between him and Pete (Rastall) that makes the biggest impact here. Working in the grounds as part of community service, Pete is friendly and doesn't treat Luke with the kid gloves of the home, the two conspiring together, having fun, and when we learn Pete's working through grief of his own, the two bond even further to help each other through. The ending sits a little clumsily, as does the plotline of Le Knot's "lost girl" in general, but this is a promising debut with plenty of heart that has garnered praise for actor and director alike.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the character of Luke in My Feral Heart. Describe his role. How was his disability portrayed? Why was it important to see disability represented on-screen without the character being defined by it? And why is it important to see lead characters, in particular, who have a disability?
The movie explores the topic of caring -- first in Luke caring for his mother and secondly in the presumptions others make about the level of care Luke needs. Why is it important to talk about these topics? Where might you go if you were struggling to care for someone alone or concerned about the care someone was receiving?
Luke, Eve, and Pete all show empathy toward others. How did each display it in the movie? Why is empathy such an important character strength?
Discuss the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it add to the story?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 13, 2020
- Cast: Steven Brandon , Shana Swash , Will Rastall
- Director: Jane Gull
- Studio: British Film Institute
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Friendship
- Character Strengths: Empathy
- Run time: 83 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 4, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Movies with Characters Who Have Learning and Attention Issues and Developmental Disabilities
Movies with Characters Who Have Physical Disabilities
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate