Review of Dogville (2003) by Greg B — 16 Jan 2010

Dogville is not easy to watch, and that just based on presentation alone. I did not realize that Dogville is set on a stage with no walls. The entire town is centered on a big black floor, and every inch of the town is labeled according to what is there. So when I started watching it, and when I got that first birds eye shot of the town, I didn't think that that is how the rest of the movie would play out. When I realized that that wasn't true, two things went through my mind: "This is genius" and "This is going to get old". The latter eventually became true. But judging on my rating, you can tell that I got over it. Dogville is not about how beautiful the town might be, even though the characters describe the beauty surrounding it. It is more so about the inner evil of the town, and that is what's important.

Now, getting to the nitty-gritty, Dogville displays the insanity of its society. Unbelievably so, this film is very anti-american. That feels like the motive once the movie starts coming to a close. What makes Dogville special is that I could tell it was anti-american, without beginning to analyze why. I didn't have to. It was just a gut feeling. So to spare you from any boredom, I won't analyze it as I have in my head since finishing watching it. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it and feel it's anti-Americanism, you'll know. And now the big question is, why am I applauding a movie that I admit is anti-american? Well, I think the director displays that as truth, but there is much more to truth, and that is that this film is more about the entire world right now. Dogville is special. You have to get used to its display and used to its theme, but it's just as important as any other film that came out this decade.