This movie was way better than I thought it would be in that among other things it takes a concept and looks at what would that would look like. While there are funny scenes, it does not shy away from the disturbing: 1) The movie starts with the woman attempting suicide - this brings home reinforces how far things have gone with her getting no support at home with raising 4 kids. 2) The woman believes she is a dog and is treated like she needs to be and is basically locked up in her own home because she is dangerous. There is an almost traumatic quality to it, and at times I found it hard to watch. 3) The sound of the dog is loud for what I think is intentional and sometimes there is a sort of surprise bark or growl to throw off the audience. 4) The husband refuses to get her real treatment because he wants to retain the illusion of control. This was also disturbing to me because of just how serious the woman's condition is.
They show the transformation of the husband and the family around the condition of the mother and that was kind of interesting. I did not completely find this to be a comedy but I found it refreshing - I actually did think it portrayed what psychosis can look like.
I think it does also show how an emotional contract between two people can go horribly wrong and signal a need to change.
There are obvious messages about roles of men and women which are largely outmoded in today's society - the woman in this movie has given up everything and has next to no space or time for herself, and the husband has never given up anything and at least in the beginning is more emotionally connected to his job than anything else.
One might say well what about the affair he is having with the secretary - I believe this is an extension of the husband's narcissism or at least intense self-involvement. It is so pronounced that I almost questioned how he could have had 4 kids in the first place.
They show the transformation of the husband and the family around the condition of the mother and that was kind of interesting. I did not completely find this to be a comedy but I found it refreshing - I actually did think it portrayed what psychosis can look like.
I think it does also show how an emotional contract between two people can go horribly wrong and signal a need to change.
There are obvious messages about roles of men and women which are largely outmoded in today's society - the woman in this movie has given up everything and has next to no space or time for herself, and the husband has never given up anything and at least in the beginning is more emotionally connected to his job than anything else.
One might say well what about the affair he is having with the secretary - I believe this is an extension of the husband's narcissism or at least intense self-involvement. It is so pronounced that I almost questioned how he could have had 4 kids in the first place.