Dogtooth
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
In an effort to protect their three children from the corrupting influence of the outside world, a couple transforms their home into a gated compound of cultural deprivation and strict rules of behavior. But children cannot remain innocent forever. When the father brings home a young woman to satisfy his son's sexual urges, the family's engineered "reality" begins to crumble, with devastating consequences. Like the haunting, dystopic visions of Michael Haneke and Gaspar Noé, DOGTOOTH punctuates its compelling drama with moments of shocking violence, creating a biting social satire that is as profound as it is provocative.
Three teenagers live isolated. But children cannot remain innocent forever.
Cast: Christos Stergioglou, Michele Valley, Angeliki Papoulia, Hristos Passalis, Mary Tsoni
Member Reviews
Maybe this movie's reputation preceded it a little too much, but it didn't really do it for me! Can't quite put my finger on why though. By all means, it should be great, but it uhhhh just didn't connect with me the way it seems to with most viewers.
Odd.
"Hmm. Huh. O...Kay..." These were my last words upon the conclusion of "Dogtooth". The tale of violent isolation, emotional stagnation, and good old-fashioned paranoia winds through scenes that are by turns amusingly uncomfortable and palpably frustrating, while maintaining a steady, disturbing undercurrent. The hyper-realism of the setting and characters provides a compelling juxtaposition to the subtle, nightmarish plot. If you, gentle reader, are a soul who requires solid answers, then this is not the movie for you. Details exist in "Dogtooth" much as they do in our own world - subtextually. So much remains unknown at the film's end that it has little-to-no rewatch value. However, the acting is superb; the viewer completely believes that this family has been in virtual solitude for years. The absence of ambient music lends a stark, Spartan atmosphere despite the upper-middle-class aesthetic of the setting. The pacing is methodical, the dialogue is very believably un-natural. With very few exceptions, "Dogtooth" maintains an unsettling air of timelessness. It absolutely should be watched at least once.
I absolutely loved this movie but I fully understand why a lot of people wouldn't enjoy it. The idea of children being raised this way is more horrifying than any slasher or monster movie. Contains the most graphic and least sexy sex scenes ever put to film. The whole thing is filled with creep and dread, with spontaneous bursts of brutal violence and black humor. A unique and unforgettable movie!
If creepy discomfort is your thing, then this is the film for you!