Lawn Dogs
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Movie Reviews of Lawn Dogs
Movie Review: Top of its class
Summary: 4 Stars
LAWN DOGS is an independent film, and therefore, unfortunately did not gather the huge audiences that mainstream films tend to do more easily, or the ever-so-infrequent indie film. However, for those who have seen it, they may tell you just how deserving of acclaim this gem of a film is. The best part about the film is how it tells an unusual story in such a simple and straightforward way, leaving its many interpretations up to the viewer. Besides its terrific acting/directing, the script quenches the minds of the moviegoer and presents them with a totally new and fresh idea. For those of you who are willing to ride, LAWN DOGS will not be a disappointment.Movie Review: Superb acting by Barton.
Summary: 4 Stars
The portrayal of an American suburban neighborhood on this film is somewhat similar to American Beauty, with its dark sarcastic tone. The remarkable part about this film is the acting by child actress Barton. It's quite hard to please the audience with a child actor these days. All kids end up sounding like Malcolm in the Middle.Movie Review: Tense but somewhat incoherent
Summary: 3 Stars
Roger Ebert memorably described Lawn Dogs as resembling an accident at the symbol factory, and it's hard to disagree.
It is an interesting fairy-tale - literally - with 10 year old Devon, in a voice over, intoning the story of Babi Yaga the evil child-stealing witch who lives in a forbidden forest, while herself venturing (from a treeless home) into the forbidden wood (perhaps symbolic of the threshhold of adolescence).
Except that, as it becomes clear, enchanted wood-resident lawnmower man Trent isn't Babi Yaga, but one of her potential victims. That this is the intent of the film is made clear in the final seconds when the film's studied realism is completely abandoned to allow the hero to make good his escape with some rather unconvinving special effects.
Well, it's a nice idea, but it's uneven and not fully worked out. There are some curious and underdeveloped side-strands: especially Devon's mother's sexual proclivities (except to the extent this identifies her with the witch) and some shallowly-buried insinutations of sexual tensions between Trent and local spoilt rich kid Sean, who were apparently once third-grade classmates.
What rescues Lawn Dogs from incoherent oblivion is the compelling performance from the two leads, a great soundtrack and effectively marshalled dramatic tension: thematically we're in dangerous territory, with an adult-child/poor boy-rich girl relationship developing in the heart of a (somewhat caricatured) reactionary community, and director Duigan draws us into the inevitable unpleasant denouement skilfully.
As the credits roll, it's a bit of a head scratcher, but it's done with enough style that it deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Olly Buxton
Movie Review: A Recommended Film.
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a better-than-good film that I've seen a handful of times. It's quite different than most movies that have been released lately, and most important--it makes you think. It deals with hypocrisy, prejudice and other issues. The acting is very good also with great performances from Sam Rockwell and Mischa Barton. Lawn Dogs is worth a watch. I actually give it 3.5 stars. Recommended.Movie Review: Bow wow
Summary: 2 Stars
I can't understand the good reviews given by others to this movie. Frankly, I thought it was a dog.
Not to say that it had no redeeming features - the friendship between the young girl and the lawn man was endearing, if improbable. And the girl herself was a real sweetie, and a good actress - perfect for the part. In fact, the acting all around was admirable.
But the script! Yikes! Not a single character in the whole movie - with the partial exceptions of the two protagonists - had any motivation for anything they did. People acting awkward or mean (in fact, just about everyone in the movie other than said two was mean), or spiteful, or stupid, for no reason at all!
It seems as though somehow, the movie could have been good, but didn't make it. Call it almost watchable.
I came away from Lawn Dogs (Yawn Dogs?) feeling not at all enriched. Puzzled, perhaps, at why anyone would make such a movie. Well, there was that admirable, unlikely friendship. But that was all.
Pass this one by.