I really liked I, Tonya and this movie has the same feel to it. A 'true' story, at least how they remember it. Both are crime stories filled with drama and a little humor. Both focus on people that have lives but want to dabble in crime. And I enjoyed both of them a great deal. They felt realistic and genuine. And both had good pacing and a rhetoric that reflects the mood well. Slower when life is slow and faster when life gets chaotic.
American Animals tells the actual story of some kids that try to change their lives by stealing valuable books from their local library. You get to meet the real-life version of each character as the story progresses. It's a really cool way to tell a story, I think, as it draws me in more than other 'real life' movies.
Sadly, it's hard to talk too much about the movie without giving too much away. I enjoyed the experience, including the slow parts. When their lives were boring, the story gets a little boring. But as things get crazy in their lives, I was on the edge of my seat. I loved the suspense of it, even though it was pretty obvious what was going to happen. It's more about the characters' reactions to the events than the plot itself. It's like four character studies in one movie. I really enjoyed it.