The Fox Review: Off-Beat, Surrealist Aussie Comedy Is Not As Weird As It Should Be

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One of the most arrogant assumptions we make is believing we can always control our most basic instincts. This idea forms the basis of Dario Russo’s darkly comedic and unusual film. Though the writer-director, making his first feature, and the film’s central character, a fox voiced by Olivia Colman, claim there’s no underlying moral, the movie strongly suggests that humans, like all animals, are driven by self-centered desires.

The Fox is a quirky and initially amusing film, but it relies on a single joke stretched over its 90-minute runtime. There’s something enjoyable about the film’s deadpan delivery alongside its bizarre world – reminiscent of early films by Yorgos Lanthimos – however, the constant morally questionable behavior of the four main characters becomes repetitive. The core twist of the plot is revealed too early, and after that, the film simply rehashes the same idea with less and less impact.

The Fox’s Story Doesn’t Ever Live Up To Its Stylistic Strangeness

While the unusual setup of Russo’s film doesn’t necessarily fall flat, the detailed world he creates initially isn’t fully explored later on. The Fox presents a reality where talking animals are simply accepted, or perhaps the characters are too preoccupied to question it. Ultimately, the film suggests humans aren’t any smarter than animals, almost like an episode of Planet Earth narrated by the Fox character.

The Fox narrates, criticizing people’s habit of using empty, meaningless phrases, and singles out “it is what it is” as the most annoying. She explains that people often say this when they feel helpless, but ironically, the story is full of situations where humans believe they have control. Specifically, the film focuses on the unhealthy desire to make someone love you, rather than fixing the real problems within a relationship.

In a secluded area of Australia, veterinarian Kori finds herself caught in a complicated love triangle. She’s engaged to the somewhat clueless Nick, but is also having an affair with her self-centered colleague, Derrick. Initially, Nick’s wife, Diana, is so focused on herself and possessions that she doesn’t notice anything is wrong. Nick is desperate for affection and fails to recognize Kori’s growing lack of interest in him.

One day, while hunting with his father, Nick encounters a talking Fox who pleads for her life. In return, she offers a solution to save his failing relationship. Nick isn’t surprised by the talking animal, but he is shocked to learn his girlfriend is cheating. The Fox claims this problem can be solved by throwing Kori into a magical pit nearby, which can transform anyone’s partner into the person of his dreams.

When Diana discovers undeniable evidence of her husband’s infidelity, she and Nick decide on a shocking plan: to humiliate and punish the other woman, Kori. They believe this will end the affair and allow their own relationships to return to normal, a solution born of both desperation and a misguided sense of control. The idea is incredibly flawed – how can you truly fix something already destroyed? Unsurprisingly, the plan only appears to work at first. When Kori reappears, stripped of her dignity and covered in mud, she’s been fundamentally changed, reduced to a submissive, childlike state fixated on sex – as if subjected to some kind of brutal reprogramming.

The situation quickly becomes strange as the four main characters struggle to cope with Kori’s drastically changed personality. It’s initially amusing to see their dry, almost robotic reactions to increasingly unbelievable events, but this humor doesn’t last long. The hints about the secret lives of animals – clever foxes, a gossipy magpie (voiced by Sam Neill), and outcast dogs – are interesting ideas that unfortunately aren’t fully developed in the story.

Once the plot of The Fox begins to fall apart, each character eventually faces consequences. While the film has a charmingly quirky style, the story itself doesn’t live up to that initial impression – it’s surprisingly ordinary. Despite some truly funny moments, this ultimately makes for a letdown.

The Fox screened at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival.

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2026-03-16 09:48