Ben Affleck directs, produces, co-writes, and stars in his latest Netflix collaboration, “Animals”. Earlier this year, he and his childhood friend and frequent producing partner Matt Damon released “The Rip” on the ever-growing streaming platform. It was a gritty retro action thriller loosely based on a really-life Miami drug bust. Interestingly, “Animals” has a similar throwback quality to it. It’s a crime thriller with a psychological edge that would have felt right at home on big screens in the 1990s.

Damon was originally set to star alongside Affleck’s ex-wife Jennifer Garner. But after a nearly one-year delay, Damon was no longer available due to his commitments to Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”. And both Affleck and Garner decided against her casting. So Affleck took on Damon’s role and Kerry Washington was brought in as Garner’s replacement. Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Luis Geraldo Mendez, and Ray Fisher round out the film’s sturdy cast.

Jointly written by Affleck, Connor O. McIntyre, and Billy Ray, the story is set and filmed in Los Angeles. Affleck plays Mark Kimball, a lifelong LA resident who is now seeking to be the city’s next mayor. Mark is a slick and polished politician who is good-looking, charismatic, and always says the right thing. His résumé touts his time as a teacher, soldier, lawyer, and district attorney. He sounds like the perfect candidate. But there’s one problem – he finds himself down three points entering the last stretch of the election.

To make matters worse, Mark’s self-funded campaign is broke. His wife Abby (Washington) doesn’t know it, but he has already used up all their savings. And now, at the urging of his campaign manager Sam (Yeun), he has secretly taken out a loan and put up their swanky Brentwood home up as collateral. It puts Mark in a precarious position. If he doesn’t win the election, he will lose his wife, his home – everything. Meanwhile, Abby has secrets of her own which could cost her as well.

Mark and Abby’s world is turned upside down after they receive a call from a distorted voice claiming their son Denny (Christopher Woodley) has been kidnapped. He was taken while out trick-or-treating with their nanny Cecilia (Paz) and her son Hector (Jacob Estrada). Now Denny’s abductor is threatening to kill him if Mark doesn’t pay $7 million cash. And things only heat up when Mark is forced to confess to Abby that they don’t have the money because he spent it on his campaign.

Affleck wastes no time cranking the story’s simmer to a boil. Tensions skyrocket as truths are revealed that not only threaten Mark and Abby’s already fractured marriage, but that has the potential to derail any chance of saving their son. Meanwhile the film tosses in a few intriguing wildcards who add some unexpected layers to the story. Take Dayle Burton (Anderson), a powerful and merciless fixer who loans money and navigates crises out of the public eye for a stiff 20% fee with severe penalties if she isn’t paid in full. And there’s Cecilia’s undocumented fiancé Ramon (Mendez) who impacts things in some surprising ways.

Just as “Animals” has us thinking we know where things are going, it throws us a curveball that recontextualizes things in some fascinating ways. The film’s obvious title comes fully into focus as circumstances force characters to reveal their true selves. As they do, not only does Affleck explore individual morality, but he also shows just how political relationships can be. Equally compelling is the sharp contrast he explores between glossy public images and the murkier private truths that never make the news.

Strong performances help energize the movie starting with Affleck who sharply conveys Mark’s complexity, from his volatility to his ruthless self-preservation to moments of genuine empathy. Washington is equally good as a woman who keeps her emotions close to the chest. And Anderson is a devilish blend of menace and camp. There are unanswered questions that linger well after the credits roll, and not all of the pieces fit together as intended. But “Animals” is a high-stakes, tension-driven thriller with enough unpredictability and emotional weight to keep its audience involved from start to finish.