Review of Dogville (2003) by David J — 26 Sep 2009

The word masterpiece gets thrown around way too much these days but Lars Von Trier's 2004 film Dogville is just that. Watching Dogville is like getting hit by a truck. I was not expecting the film to be shot in a similar element to that of a stage and the scenery to be made of just a few props and chalk. The film stars Nicole Kidman in her best performance to date maybe and James Caan in a performance that is short but powerful.

The film takes off after Grace (Kidman) moves into the town of Dogville. A town that is located in the smoky mountains. Grace is on the run from gangsters and the townspeople are against her moving into the town except the town leader of Tom played by Paul Bettany. The town eventually decides to let Grace move in but she has to work.

The film is shot in 9 chapters each becoming more intense after the other. The film takes some views of American culture and moves them into this controversial film. The film itself is extremely powerful and one of the finest films of the 2000's I've seen to date. The actors are absolutely incredible, I had such malice and hatred for some characters and complete pity for Grace. The film is brutal to watch but good cinema should be. It's a tough film to stomach but worth it if you're into complex cinema. Dogville is a lesson in how to make a great film. The 3 hours drags by because the film is tough to watch but it's easily worth it. The ending of Dogville only enhances the film for myself. Dogville is a tremendous film and one that every film fan should watch.