Dogville
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Movie Reviews of Dogville
Movie Review: Disturbingly Brilliant Expose of the Dance of Polarity
Summary: 5 Stars
This is about as far away as one can get from a 'feel good' flick, yet it is undeniably powerful and delivers a most difficult subject to ponder that really is one of the central themes to the human experience: the delicate balance between good and evil and how one navigates in the waters of extreme polarity. Director Lars von Trier has created a uniquely affecting tale that is played out on a single soundstage with only the most basic of non-human elements so that the focus can be exclusively on the relationships of the people in 'Dogville'. And it is this intense development of the dynamics of the character's interactions that makes this film the powerful statement it is.
What we see in the gradually developing story of Dogville is how noble traits such as good intentions, giving, forgiveness and long suffering - when taken to the extreme - can actually empower evil and destroy oneself. It seems to me the message in this film is that self love is equally important as love for others. And so, we are taught an important lesson of Balance here. This issue comes to a dramatic pinnacle with Grace's conversation with her gangster-boss father (James Caan) near the end of the film in the back of his limo. They both represent arrogance in polarized opposite ways: hers of the lightside; his of the dark.
In the end, Grace chooses to 'balance the scales' in order to find her own peace and resolution for the horrors inflicted upon her. We witness karmic debt being cancelled as Dogville goes up in flames. In my sense of fairness, it couldn't have ended any other way, and be truthful. I say this not to condone the actions she ultimately chooses here: the movie is what it is. It's a lesson in just how out of balance one can become in trying to 'love' others that we actually become that which we hate: In Grace's case, her altruism taken to the extreme ultimately transforms her into violent retribution. We are left to speculate that she could have created a much different and more humane outcome simply by not allowing herself to become the doormat for all those who did indeed exploit her. That would have not been possible unless she played the role she played. Had she embraced more self respect and defined her boundaries, the nasty outcome would most probably have been aborted entirely. What we see played out here is the natural result of embracing extremes of polarity. The truth (and sanity) lies in a healthy balance between the two.
This is a most unique and thought-provocative film about what it means to be human and live in the cosmic soup of good and evil that we find ourselves in. I believe that most people desire to be good and kind to their neighbor. However, there are healthy limits to how much abuse one can take and if we do not also be kind to ourselves, we are out of balance and we end up with a mini (or major)-Dogville on our hands. This is an issue that is central to everyone's life to some degree and one we must all come to resolution with eventually. In contemplating this further, was it not her own fear that inspired her playing the role of doormat? She wanted to 'be saved'. THAT was her foundational error.
Nicole Kidman's acting in this film is probably the best of her career. She is convincing as the archetypical altruistic martyr as she continually chooses to overlook the bad behaviour of those around her, making allowances for their 'weaknesses' and deliberately forgives those who exploit her. Excellent also is Paul Bettany as Tom, who is also an archetype of an all too common character: seemingly kind and good-hearted at first, but when push comes to shove is revealed to be a weak, spineless, self-serving wimp with no real integrity. With Tom, goodness is really all just 'appearance'. There are many archetypes of dysfunctional humans in this film... it is indeed a cross section of humanity. (May God have mercy on us all). Director Trier developes all characters with equal skill as he weaves the tale in layer upon layer of psychological intrigue.
This film is not easy to watch, for it's really a study of the dark side of humanity. But I think it is a necessary one. It is also a rather long film, and it did take me a little while for it to grab and sustain my attention, due to the unorthodox 'theatrical' setting which took some getting used to just because it so 'different'. But due to the many excellent reviews here I persevered and I'm glad I did for once I allowed myself to become part of the Dogville world, I was quite affected. Dogville reveals itself to be a powerful metaphor for the entire world and all of humanity. Yes, we indeed live in a realm of the predator and the prey, and it seems the thing that matters most is not the ultimate outcome but how we choose to navigate our way through the treacherous waters: how fairly we treat ourselves, as equally as how fairly we treat others.
Substance worth pondering indeed.
Movie Review: Dog Days: A Theatre of (in)Humanity
Summary: 5 Stars
Danish filmmaker Lars Von Trier occupies the coveted and much-acclaimed/decried position of the auteur: the cinematic craftsman of visionary power. Von Trier's films, particularly the recent compositions of *Breaking the Waves* (1996) and *Dancer in the Dark* (2000), have astonished/infuriated both the avant-garde and mainstream audience: with their intricate meld of art-house technique (the infamous Dogme 95 movement) and emotional manipulation that, for some, reaches borderline-bathos, Von Trier's films compel the base instincts, inspire heated conversation...and most importantly, continue to build upon previous work, achieving new vistas of theme, ambition and overall `modus operandi.'
The cost of such vision is, apparently, quite exacting: Von demands much of his tools, and can be abusive to achieve his desired result. After *Dancer in the Dark* Bjork announced she would never act again; Nicole Kidman, during press at Cannes, hinted at her personal struggle with Grace's character arc and the overall tone of *Dogville*. Yet an uncompromising attitude often strains the best juice from the pulp, the end result being the important emphasis: whatever _works_. And the end result here is like a thorn in the heart - it cannot be ignored.
*Dogville* is, in essence, a study of humanity at its most tribal-base, set within the modern-era microcosm of the small town. Initially I was off-put by the theater setting: it seemed an awkward, pretentious device. This sensation was augmented by the distracting lighting variations, which I initially took to be bad DVD transfer. As the film progressed, however, the invisible walls came to serve story and theme, revealing the sordid hypocrisies seething beneath the tranquil façade. Showy technique showed more than I anticipated; it was a conceit I came to admire.
A prologue introduces the audience to allegorical Dogville, rural USA epitomized. Isolated from the world at large by a mountain range, the village consists of fourteen souls existing in relative harmony, the sort of apple-orchid haven not inconsistent with the Pastures and Valleys of Steinbeck's So Cal exegesis. Secrets, sorrow and resentment ferment beneath the small town surface, but everyone knows their place, everyone tolerates to a greater or lesser extent the frailties of one another through virtue of long-term association.
But come the gloaming of one dusk evening, resident philosopher/artiste Tom Edison (Paul Bettany) hears gunfire in the distance, and his investigation reveals a beautiful damsel in distress, Grace (Nicole Kidman, in perhaps the most accomplished role of her career). Tom is instantly smitten by the fur-coiffed, strawberry-blonde Grace; and she in turn throws her fate upon his mercy, revealing a frailty that, we later come to understand, is as much subconscious psychological _testing_ as it is immediate conscious need. Grace's predicament, indeed her very presence, is viewed with some suspicion and consternation by the other Dogville residents: she is the seductive Apple in the Garden, foreign yet ultimately irresistible.
*Dogville* is a long film - two and half hours - with the first half devoted to the aesthetic construction of the community at large and the individual roles the town residents play in their fragile symbiosis. As the movie progresses Grace is accepted and comes to occupy a greater responsibility in the foundation-activities of the community, yet ever remains the outsider, the alien corn. Exploitation emerges slowly, with doomed certainty, for Grace's charm, beauty and overall usefulness, coupled with her frail position, "plants seeds that must surely grow," to paraphrase the justification of one offender.
The eventual climax/conclusion of *Dogville* comes as no surprise. Von Trier illustrates the proverb of "Every Dog will Have it's Day" with a philosophical argument between Kidman and an unsurprising cameo about humanity in general - exposing and effectively condemning the pity-route of the Great White Guilt. The result of stripped illusions cannot be shrugged off, the other cheek turned; under a bloody moon Grace transfigures herself from victim to jury/judge. Some will perceive this entire segment, and the movie as a whole, as a misanthropic exercise of cynicism. I, a survivor of small town USA xenophobia, am torn in my overall assessment: my social-theory recognition is marred with the evocation of ancient wish-fulfillment fantasy, augmented by an inescapable cinematic surge of Platonic justice - the visceral climatic need - as served with extreme prejudice. But regardless of my own emotional impression, this remains a powerful film, a dark and demanding theatre of (in)humanity at its most base fragility.
Highly recommended.
Movie Review: A juxtaposition of NT forgiveness and OT wrath
Summary: 5 Stars
As a summary: Dogville is set in a very `Waiting for Godot' type set - in the tradition of Samuel Beckett's tale of minimalist mis-en-scene, Grace (Nicole Kidman), after a few suspicious gunshots unexpectedly shows up in the backwater township of Dogville. To set the stage for the rest of the movie, Grace finds herself vulnerable and subject to the town's whims as she is trying to escape from gangsters. With support from Tom (Paul Bettany), town self-styled pseudo preacher, moralist, and spokesman - Dogville decides to harbor the fugitive - at a price. Grace, in return, agrees to work for them. As soon as the search intensifies for Grace, the townspeople begin to, in turn, intensify their exploitation of her - quoting Foucauldian power language - the discourse of Grace problematic presence spirals down into crass exploitation. Falsely accused of stealing money from Tom's father Grace is `Disciplined and Punished' the hypocrites of Dogville begin to demand a `better deal' in compensation for the `risk' of harboring the fugitive Grace. Grace (as well as us) learns the hard way, that in Dogville (a reflection of society at large) there are no either/or scenarios, and goodness is relative. Unbeknownst to the population of Dogville, Grace harbors a secret and a very dangerous one at that. The apocalyptic nature of the ending is one of revenge and regret and a test of human forgiveness.
In a small effort to effect some analysis, let me being by writing that what had began as a quaint town, like a board game on a large scale, transitioned into a desolate and disquieting scenario. Played out against the Beckett type minimalist chalked out streets and building - any illusion of privacy is shattered as - to Grace's horror, she is raped. The irony is the juxtaposition of the townsfolk milling about uncaring as if they were complicit in the rape. As most vilified "Other" Grace becomes their scapegoat and the pariah of the town - as is suddenly exploited at will. An interesting scene is when Tom, her supposed protector wishes to have his way with her and she tells him that this is not the right time and place. She painfully emotes that he could of course have her - all he needs to do is what everyone else does - threaten her. The tension of Grace's revelation to both the police and the mob is so ever-present one wishes to just jump in to the whole scene and whisk her away from it all - she is trapped - so are we. As a test of what we will eventually learn is Grace's `arrogance' and `condescension' her easy forgiveness seems like, at least to this viewer, an undue degree of tolerance. In as quick a reversal as one can ever see the townspeople against the vulnerable Grace and treat her in the most exploitative fashion.
I am not too familiar with the work of von Trier so this was a real introduction for me. The technique of tearing down the walls was both effective and new. The viewer can literally `see' through any pretense, any façades, and the true nature if you will of Dogville's townspeople. It is an interesting manipulation of space - transformed, experimental and fraught with risk.
I just wanted to close out quoting Foucault in Discipline and Punish concerning power and its subtle workings: "That, consequently, the notions of institutions of repression, rejection, exclusion, marginalization, are not adequate to describe, at the very center of the carceral city, the formation of the insidious leniencies, unavowable petty cruelties, small acts of cunning, calculated methods, techniques, 'sciences' that permit the fabrication of the disciplinary individual. In this central and centralized humanity, the effect and instruments of complex power relations, bodies and forces subjected to multiple mechanisms of 'incarceration', objects for discourses that are in themselves elements for this strategy, must we hear the distant roar of battle."
I was unsure of Dogville's revenge angle - is it supposed to be cathartic, pedagogical, apocalyptic? Are we supposed to walk away from it with a postmodern notion of reading it as text and walking away with whatever we want - as in `it hit me on so many levels"? In the end, it is a revenge tale, tragic in the sense of an opportunity lost to effect altruism. Many folks mask their exploitation by conjuring such timeless notions of friendship - this was less subtle. In effect, the begging refugee, a juxtaposition of New Testament forgiveness versus Old Testament wrath - but in the final analysis - a naked image of how easily those in power can be swayed to misuse it.
Miguel Llora
Movie Review: Another von Trier masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
If you believe that movies should be first and foremost for entertainment, read no further. Why? Because "Dogville" is not an entertaining movie by any stretch of the imagination. It's a disturbing, emotional masterpiece. I know this word is overused but I can not give another definition for this film but a masterpiece. As you probably have read in the other reviews it looks like a play, the houses don't even have walls and are just chalk lines on the ground. Strangely enough, that is actually a plus for the movie as it allows the viewer to concentrate his entire attention to the story and the actors' performances. And the lack of walls intensifies the feeling of community which the Dogville residents have (in a sense that everyone is aware what the others are up to) which is very important for the idea of the movie.And talking about acting, here is where "Dogville" really shines. We have Nicole Kidman who lives up to her great reputation and delivers an awesome performance as Grace, an innocent and seemingly naive woman who hides from some gangsters in the little town of Dogville. Never overacting or taking all the attention upon her (newsflash for some other directors - you can actually show a given character's sorrow and pain WITHOUT making the actor/actress cry all the time, the subtle ways are much better), she totally nails the part. Her face and especially her eyes give a perfect representation of the pure, all-forgiving but at the same time smart woman Grace is meant to be. Kidman is supported by a group of some very talented actors like Paul Bettany, who is nearly perfect as the all-knowing but doing nothing, pseudo-philosopher Tom, Stellan Skarsgard, James Caan etc. The narration is brilliantly done by John Hurt and completes the bleak atmosphere superbly. As usual von Trier manages to make this incredible cast to perform even better than their very high standarts, making watching the movie worthy even if you happen to dislike the story.
Anyway, there are a lot of good movies who rely just on the actors brilliance to mask the poor plot. Not the case here. It's a very symbolic and engaging tale, the film is nearly three hours long but I hardly noticed that when I watched it for the first time as it never drags. The ending is very controversial and has kept me thinking about it in the few days since I watched the movie. But not by being unclear and requiring complete attention to details (like "Donnie Darko", for instance) - it's very clear and seemingly easy to understand but it's really open for interpretations from a moral point of view and can inspire a lot of interesting discussions and thoughts. It has also one of the most unforgettable and thought provoking dialogues I have ever seen on screen followed by one of the best scenes I have ever watched. You need to see it to believe me. In some ways, it resembles a very well written book, unlike the majority of blockbusters today who are more like a badly written comics.
From a purely cinematographic perspective, there is the audacity of Lars von Trier to shoot the movie with a hand-held camera. But nevertheless it has some truly breathtakingly beautiful moments despite the lack of proper sets - Grace laying in the back of the truck comes to mind, also natable are he stunning light/darkness changes done without any computer help. The important thing is that it totally works unless you care for the perfection of the vision more than for the idea and message of the film.
I was really amazed to see a lot of people who attack the movie as being "anti-American". That's not the case, it has clearly a lot more to do with the decline of the human society as a whole than with attacking the American way of life. The same events could have taken place virtually anywhere in the world and it would totally make sense.
What makes this movie special apart from the philosophical questions it boldly raises, is the level of emotion. I can only speak for myself but I have never hated movie characters more than some of those in "Dogville". They develop all the time and the fast and easy way in which a human being can lose its whole humanity and turn into something deserving nothing but hatred, given the right circumstances and victims, is both very disturbing and realistic.
Just see this movie with an open mind. You will probably either love it or hate it, I hope it will be the former.
Movie Review: Possibly the most realistic film about humans ever...
Summary: 5 Stars
The thing about Dogville is that it caused a stir before it even made it to the theaters, continued to do so after it hit the screens and it seems like this wont stop for a long-long time either. Critics found a miraculous way to label it "anti-american" (funniest thing I've heard about a film in ages) whereas Dogville is about a town anywhere on the globe. Others suggested that it's a pointlessly bleak film when anyone with a functioning brain should easily recognise how ultra-realistic this film actually is..And on and on...
But this is how humans are. Once we have to be confronted with the not-so great side of our nature we tend to be evasive. We tend to invent excuses. Lie if we have to. And our not-so great nature turns even uglier. There's no limit to our ugliness just as there could be no limit to our goodness if we somehow found a way to be honest about what we are.
But Dogville's premise, no matter how you cut it, is undeniable: humans when given power over someone will more than likely exploit him, beat him, humiliate him, dehumanise him. And that's the good scenario. Power corrupts and it corrupts totally.
As a seemingly hunted woman arrives at a remote and isolated town, the powers of the human psyche go into full effect. The town goes into council and decides to take this woman under its wings recognising -albeit not admitting it- that there is much to be gained here. Everybody has a small little agenda to run. That agenda can take all kinds of different colours: it might a sexual one, it might be a workwise exploitative one, or it might be a "well, lets see what good this can be for me" one. All of the agendas together are in their essence perverse and malevolent.
As the story progresses things turn uglier. And uglier. The director and scriptwriter relentlessly follow the lead they've set up. The fate of the "protected" woman becomes darker and darker right infront of your eyes whether this might mean rape, utter degradation, daily devaluation of dignity, or whatever else you could think of that would drive the less endurable from us to suicide under such circumstances.
But the female-protagonist of the story hangs on. And it's a mystery really for the audience why she does, especially as the films stretches for 3 hours while it seems that the longer she allows herself to stay into this environment of sick intentions she might not even come through it alive. The more suspicious of the audience might sense that she has an agenda as well. If so, it's one you wont suspect, until the end of the film thrusts forward and hits you with a vengeance no other film could claim.
And long after you've taken your eyes off the screen, Dogville will keep lingering annoyingly in your mind. Is this what we are? And do we deserve what Dogville shows as a resolution to its story? The answer is not comfortable.
Dogville is simply an unparallel masterpiece. On any level a film could judged. The acting is absolutely stunning and this not only from Nicole Kidman who gives the performance of a lifetime but from everyone else in the cast, even the characters who speak a mere few lines. I cant think of another film where there's such an overwhelming series of great performances from such a diverse and quite big cast.
This still takes second seat though to the strikingly effective directing of Lars von Triers. It's a stroke of genius really. He didn't need a huge budget to make Dogville what it is, because he only needed the actors. Literally. The walls are missing from Dogville. The set is basically a design on the floor, made so that everything could be stripped bare of any element hiding it. So it's allegorigal and straightforward simoultaneously. The effect of this is gripping.
Easily one of the most intelligent, cynical, human and brutal films ever made, Dogville has gained a place way high in the pantheon of great movies. Its reputation is only destined to grow once the last superficial critiques fade away as well. It's destined to be recognised for its message and for the incredible work for art that it is.
As far as films about the human condition go, this is the film to end all films.