American Animals is based on a real life library heist at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky in 2004.  It's a fascinating peak into how not just one but four young men are moved, inspired one might say, to commit a crime.

What makes this film compelling from a TCRS perspective is the trauma these men feel leading up to, during and after the crime. This is not to sympathize with them, but merely to recognize that criminals aren't just hearts of darkness. And this is the key to understanding them.

For those interested in the previous video about character as a vital lie, this is excellent supplemtary material. If/when a few of you have watched this, maybe we can discuss elements of the film on this channel. One of the strongest moments in the film was how the four men dealt with "taking care of" the librarian,  Betty Jean Gooch.