Dead Dog (2000)

Director:

Christopher Goode

Writer (WGA):

Grant Morris (written by)

Tagline:

Beware of owner...

Plot:

Tom and Perri are a successful couple residing in New York City with their dog, a Golden Retriever named Sophie...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Jeremy Sisto	...	Tom Braeburn
Emily Cline	...	Lainie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Reathel Bean	...	Baker
Charles Biggers	...	Sheriff
Richard Bright	...	Cunningham
Umit Celebi	...	Rocco
Christopher Cousins	...	Marquett
Mary Diveny	...	Old Lady Prisoner
Isaac Hayes	...	Isaac Hayes
Liberty Jean	...	Hearing Judge
David Little	...	Mr. Rubinstein
Maxwell	...	Sophie
Julianne Nicholson	...	Charity
Ollie	...	Sophie
Laura Pierce	...	Veterinarian
Patty Powers	...	Topless Bar Waitress
Jay O. Sanders	...	Detective
Adrienne Shelly	...	Mrs. Marquet
Stephen E. Stapinski	...	Arraignment Judge
David Thornton	...	Stevenson Nagel
Paige Turco	...	Perri
Maryann Urbano	...	D.A. Lewis

Also Known As:

The Dog Killer (International: English title) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some nudity.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Prosperity Electric

Totally different movie from what I expected it would be...

I bought this movie, because the company released it on DVD in a totally different way than it should be. The title was changed in "The Dog Killer" and everything was made to look as if this were to be a psychological, dark and tense thriller about a couple whose dog is run over and the guy who did it was going to pay for it, kind of Fatal Attraction or something like that.

Instead, we have some kind of character study (maybe like some of Robert Altman's movies). The movie begins with Tom and Perri losing their driver by a hit-and-runner who is tricked by Tom in believing they have met some time ago. A drunken Henry, who killed the dog, is then thrown out of the car by Tom who then proceeds to...

The image stops with Henry lying on the ground and from a distance the car with Tom standing still. Then we cut away and the character study starts. It isn't a revenge thriller anymore, but we get to learn the different characters. Tom and Perri, Henry and his wife (who's quite unhappy with their marriage), Perri's co-worker (who has the hots for her, but is still in a relationship with Laine, a friend) and the cop who's out to investigate. The plot about the dog killer who's about to pay for his crimes takes a backseat and we learn about these people. It actually becomes almost redundant if Tom actually ran over Henry in the end or if it were someone else. It just isn't the main importance for the director.

An amusing movie which puts a lot of things in a short running time, this surely isn't bad, but it was just that I expected something totally different from what I've seen.

So let us conclude : this isn't a thriller, this is tragic comedy/drama about people whose life gets turned upside down after a traumatic event triggered it all (the dog getting killed of course).