Dogman (2024)

Luc Besson's absurdist tragedy worked for me. I thought his approach to telling the story through the flashbacks of an unreliable narrators made the leaps in logic both acceptable but almost poetic. But mostly it was Jones' all in performance that sold me on this often horrific but ultimately inspiring story. 

This really is all about Jones' who completely sells Doug and makes him a very real human despite all that he tells us. He is known for his off-kilter performances and this may be his magnum opus. He brings such a grace and gravitas to Doug, such a power in the face of horrors, that you can't help but love him no matter how morally ambiguous he gets. 

 

Besson's direction is actually rather restrained here but he creates the kind of world where Doug's story can be told and experienced. The combination of the star's and director's styles comes together quite nicely. 

Dogman may not be everyone's cup of tea but it was more accessible than I expected it to be. Perhaps its all the puppies. I mean how can you not enjoy watching all these dogs?

Dogman

Starring: Caleb Landry Jones, Jojo T Gibbs 

Writer/Director: Luc Besson