Animals portrays the intense, all-consuming bond between two female best friends, Laura and Tyler, as the film's central 'love story.' This relationship, often interpreted as queer-coded, is depicted with dignity, complexity, and agency, challenging traditional romantic narratives. The film affirms the profound worth of their unique connection, even as external pressures threaten it, resulting in a net positive portrayal of deep female intimacy and non-normative relationships.

The film centers on an intense, co-dependent friendship functioning as a chosen family, which is challenged by the prospect of a traditional marriage. It normalizes sexual freedom and ultimately prioritizes the non-traditional bond over conventional family structures, critiquing traditional expectations of adulthood and partnership.