Dogtooth

Genre: Art house, Foreign, Bad Parenting
Rated: Unrated
Running Time: 1hr. 34 min.
Now Available: Netflix Watch Instantly
Directed By: Giorgos Lanthimos
Written By: Efthymis Filippous and Giorgos Lanthimos

What happens when three siblings are isolated from the world and left to their own devices? A wack-tastic good time! Coming this summer: Adam Sandler, Jessica Alba, and Kate Hudson in….Wack House.

This is what the American version of Dogtooth would be: a grossly mawkish interpretation of a European film needless of remake. The studio system would have this Greek experiment run through its various machinations until it was stretched out oblong, into something it was never meant to be. We
would have siblings learning the meaning of family, and lessons in the power of imagination. And this is why we cannot have nice things – Dogtooth is purposely void of false sentiment and processed humor.

What is the real Dogtooth? Dogtooth is an impossibly European film that has coincidentally been released at the same time that Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (an ode to Chinese parenting) has been gracing U.S. bookshelves. The book celebrates the otherworldly meticulousness that goes into raising the hyper-disciplined Asian child, the one that America knows about but is hard pressed to replicate. What do Dogtooth and Tiger Mother have in common? A whole lot.

In the book, the Tiger Mother explains the insular world in which the Tiger Child lives – it is a carefully parent-crafted world set up to ensure talent and success for the child. What exists in Dogtooth is the satirical, clumsy version of Tiger Mother. This is a film that dares you to wonder whether it is an indictment of over-parenting, or a lampoon of the opposite.

The setup to the movie is this: an overbearing father keeps his wife and three children locked within his own carefully conceived compound. The children have never been outside the compound and all they know of the world is what their sheltering parents describe. The children are just near an age of maturation, and the film’s primary question regards how long they can stay sealed tight within this world. Dogtooth is a story that lends itself well to the notion that we are our parents’ creation. There exists an inherent vulnerability in relying on one or two adults to sculpt all of your perspectives and behaviors.

The film itself does not hold your hand through its progression. The audience is required to figure out certain things on its own, and it is way more fun that way. As comedic as the movie can be, however, it can be a tough one to watch, too. Violence, mental abuse, and incest each play a role in Dogtooth.

It really is a testament to the abilities of the filmmakers and actors that this film can play so many different hands. There is a Kubrick-like symmetrical eeriness at play that somehow overlaps with a Wes Anderson-style humorous air as well. It maintains a creepy/funny balance very well that no doubt tips in favor of creepy on multiple occasions. I would suggest this film only for the most avid cinephiles (“phile” seeming to be an all too appropriate a suffix for such a movie) and adventurous folks.

I definitely felt macabre at times while watching this film, but in a world where a movie about the pulling out and/or mishandling of people’s guts passes as a franchise (I’m talking Saw here), Dogtooth doesn’t seem all too crazy a concept to me. This is especially attributed to the fact that there is at least a point lurking in the underbelly of this film.

Essentially, an appreciation for well-made cinema and well-crafted storytelling will get you through this one. If you’re watching this film for any other reason (like for parenting tips), you should look for something lighter on the psyche and easier on the stomach.

-Cody Mattox