Rodents of Unusual Size (2018)
95%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: 16 wins & 4 nominations
Rodents of Unusual Size approaches a variety of timely and thought-provoking subjects from fresh angles — and a lot of surprisingly large creatures in the bargain.
Rodents of Unusual Size” is a documentary that will make you think twice about those cute little rodents you see in pet stores. The film takes a fascinating look at nutria, a giant rodent that has invaded the Louisiana coast and caused major environmental damage. But don’t worry, the film isn’t all doom and gloom. It’s full of charm and humor, and you might even find yourself feeling sorry for the furry little buggers. Overall, “Rodents of Unusual Size” is a must-watch for anyone interested in the environment, or just looking for a good laugh.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Tilapia Film
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2018
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
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Runtime:1h 11m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 26, 2019
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, nutria, Louisiana, coastal erosion, invasive species, South America, Hurricane Katrina, disappearing landmasses, environmental disaster, community portrait, awareness, ingenuity, Wendell Pierce, directed by Quinn Costello, directed by Chris Metzler, directed by Jeff Springer, produced by Quinn Costello, produced by Chris Metzler, produced by Jeff Springer, reviewed by Christy Lemire, reviewed by Ben Sachs, reviewed by Karen Han, reviewed by Peter Keough, reviewed by Kevin Crust, reviewed by David Lewis, reviewed by Sarah Brinks, reviewed by Nathan Mattise, reviewed by Richard Propes, reviewed by Steven Prokopy, reviewed by David Lamble, reviewed by Michael J Casey, genre: documentary, box office performance: unknown, budget: unknown, MPAA rating: unknown, producer names: Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer, critic names: Christy Lemire, Ben Sachs, Karen Han, Peter Keough, Kevin Crust, David Lewis, Sarah Brinks, Nathan Mattise, Richard Propes, Steven Prokopy, David Lamble, Michael J Casey, actor names: Wendell Pierce
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Quinn Costello – Director, Producer
Chris Metzler – Director, Producer
Jeff Springer – Director
– Wendell Pierce as Narrator
– Quinn Costello as Director and Producer
– Chris Metzler as Director and Producer
– Jeff Springer as Director
Director(s)
Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
16 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (1)
It’s a fascinating look — and it’s only 70 minutes long.
January 31, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Christy Lemire
What the Flick?!
TOP CRITIC
Directors Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, and Jeff Springer emphasize their subjects’ creativity and camaraderie, resulting in a upbeat, flavorful community portrait.
October 2, 2018
Ben Sachs
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The film demonstrates a surprising – and commendable – frankness, especially as its creators interview those working to stay afloat amid hurricanes and nutria-accelerated coastal erosion.
September 15, 2018
Karen Han
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Rodents of Unusual Size is also a look at how human folly can contribute to environmental disaster, but awareness and ingenuity can help bail us out.
September 14, 2018
Peter Keough
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
The film’s initial non-judgmental perspective eventually sounds more like a public service announcement…
September 13, 2018
Kevin Crust
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
A bit icky yet full of charm.
September 12, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
David Lewis
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Rodents of Unusual Size manages to pack an incredible amount of information, perspective, and heart into its 71 minute runtime.
November 3, 2020
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
Beyond a profile on this species, Rodents of Unusual Size may work even better as a snapshot of a life not many will ever live: those in these coastal communities who directly experience the impacts of climate change and coastal erosion.
October 19, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Nathan Mattise
Ars Technica
Rodents of Unusual Size is an extraordinarily entertaining feature doc.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Overall, it’s certainly a memorable experience-one that might actually have you feeling sorry for the furry buggers…or give you nightmares about running into them in a dark swamp.
June 23, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
Directorial trio Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer… [have] made a little gem.
June 1, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
A fascinating metaphor for how humans see their relationship to the natural world.
May 15, 2019
Michael J. Casey
Boulder Weekly…
Plot
Hard headed Louisiana fisherman Thomas Gonzales doesn’t know what will hit him next. After decades of hurricanes and oil spills he faces a new threat – hordes of monstrous 20 pound swamp rats. Known as ‘nutria’, these invasive South American rodents breed faster than the roving squads of hunters can control them. And with their orange teeth and voracious appetite they are eating up the coastal wetlands that protects Thomas and his town of Delacroix Island from hurricanes. But the people who have lived here for generations are not the type of folks who will give up without a fight. Thomas and a pack of lively bounty hunters are hellbent on saving Louisiana before it dissolves beneath their feet. It is man vs. rodent. May the best mammal win.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features actor Wendell Pierce as the narrator.
Quinn-Costello.jpg
