Review of Dogtooth (2009) by Mike C — 06 Apr 2011

This is some Korinne Harmony shit right here (Gummo, Trash Humpers). Of over 1300 movies I've watched, I have to say this ranks in the top five of most dysfunctional. Let me preach on...

Nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar, my favorite category, it was a must watch. Thirty minutes in, I was thinking this one film might single-handedly ruin the category. It turned into something of sorts...kind of redeeming, but only because it is quite unique. I'm throwing it an eight because it kind of went in the direction I thought it should have, but I think it could have been great with a few minor tweaks.

Basically, three young adults are being raised in a censored home. Everything they know is what their parents tell them. That in and of itself is messed up, but throw in some real perversions of words, and that gets exponentially creepier. The parents hire a stranger to fulfill the needs of the boy, and she introduces some real world stuff to the kids, which ultimately results in the undoing of sorts of the family. I think they could have really used this to show how far a little knowledge goes. Maybe they did, but just not in the right ways. Still, pretty cool concept and carried out in a very unique and disturbing manner...which makes for good movie watching.

Definitely not for the squeamish. There are some pretty odd topics and behaviors that would turn off many watchers. On top of that, it's a European film so they take even more liberties than would ever been allowed in these puritanical United States. Again, makes for some compelling scenes.

Overall, difficult to get into. Without knowing of the Oscar nom, I might have turned it off. I stuck it out expecting a big payoff. Though it might not have gone quite the direction I wanted it to, I think the payoff was there. That it came from such an odd story (and even the direction was odd), I suppose is what makes it art.