A public campaign becomes a private emergency
Mark Kimball is running for mayor of Los Angeles when his son's kidnapping changes the scale of every decision. A political campaign depends on visibility, control and a carefully maintained public story. A ransom demand creates almost the opposite conditions: a deadline, incomplete information and consequences that cannot be repaired by a successful appearance in front of cameras.
Mark and his wife Abigail must respond together while confronting the secrets and choices surrounding their family. The question is not merely whether they can find money. It is what they are prepared to expose, compromise or risk as they try to recover their child. Their public standing adds another layer to an already desperate situation.
Ben Affleck on both sides of the camera
Affleck directs, co-writes and stars as Mark, with Kerry Washington playing Abigail. Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Adriana Paz and Ray Fisher are also in the cast. Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray share screenplay credit with Affleck. The production is associated with Artists Equity, the company co-founded by Affleck and Matt Damon.
Netflix's production account identifies Los Angeles as both the setting and a filming location. That connection matters to the premise: this is a story about a candidate trying to represent a particular city while being tested in a part of his life that voters cannot ordinarily see.
Where the tension comes from
Choose Animals when you want a crime thriller built around difficult decisions within a marriage as well as the immediate mechanics of a kidnapping. A useful way to watch is to track the information available to each person. What seems like a sensible response from one position may appear threatening or evasive from another.
The subject involves a child in danger and is classified R in the United States. Netflix lists the film as released on 9 October 2026, but use the country selector for any current local viewing offer. A platform's production or distribution involvement should never be treated as a substitute for checking the catalogue available to your account.
