Dog Eat Dog (2016)

A crew of ex-cons are hired by a Cleveland mafioso to kidnap the baby of a rival mobster.

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writers:

Edward Bunker (based on the novel by), Matthew Wilder

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Matthew Cook

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	Troy
Willem Dafoe	...	Mad Dog
Christopher Matthew Cook	...	Diesel
Omar J. Dorsey	...	Moon Man
Louisa Krause	...	Zoe
Melissa Bolona	...	Lina
Reynaldo Gallegos	...	Chepe
Chelcie Lynn	...	Sheila (as Chelcie Melton)
Bruce Reizen	...	Maurie
Jeff Hilliard	...	Gun Enthusiast
Ali Wasdovich	...	Melissa
Louis Perez	...	Mike Brennan
Magi Avila	...	Nanny
Tevis R. Marcum	...	White Power Inmate
Todd Emmett	...	Prison Skin Head

Storyline

Carved from a lifetime of experience that runs the gamut from incarceration to liberation, Dog Eat Dog is the story of three men who are all out of prison and now have the task of adapting themselves to civilian life. The California three strikes law looms over them, but what the hell, they're going to do it, and they're going to do it their way. Troy, an aloof mastermind, seeks an uncomplicated, clean life but cannot get away from his hatred for the system. Diesel is on the mob's payroll and his interest in his suburban home and his nagging wife is waning. The loose cannon of the trio, Mad Dog, is possessed by true demons within, which lead him from one situation to the next. One more hit, one more jackpot, and they'll all be satisfied. Troy constructs the perfect crime and they pull it off, but in the aftermath, they keep finding the law surrounding them wherever they go.

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Plot Keywords:

baby | ethnic slur | ex convict | black and white scene | dragged by a car | 

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Taglines:

Grabs you by the lapels and keeps moving, never lagging, never dull.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 November 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cane mangia cane

Filming Locations:

Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

ADME Studios, Blue Budgie Films Limited, Ingenious Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White (some scenes)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul Schrader's and Nicolas Cage 's third collaboration. The previous two were Bringing Out the Dead (1999) and Dying of the Light (2014).

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Goofs

Towards the end of the film, Diesel goes into a supermarket. The manager spots Diesel's gun and calls the police. The manager's tie is worn long and ends several inches below his waistline. In the next shot, outside. and the subsequent shot, back inside the store, the tie is around level with his waistline.

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Quotes

Troy: You ever been inside, Reverend? In the joint?
Charles: Yes, sir.
Troy: Well, then you know. Guy who has a past, guy who's made mistakes. They say they forgive you, but they never do. They're always lookin' at ya, tryin' to catch ya at something. All we want... heck, all anybody wants, is justice.

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Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode #45.10 (2016)

User Reviews

Surprisingly fresh! Really enthusiastic performances by all of the co-stars

I'll start by saying this movie isn't perfect, but I really, really enjoyed it. In short, the pacing was fantastic (not a dull moment, but at the same time you really got to know the characters), the actors all clearly were really enjoying making the movie and gave their characters their all (Willem Defoe in particular, and Nicholas Cage was completely revitalized for this role). I also really enjoyed the cinematography, some various effects were used tastefully to great effect. Finally one of the best qualities of this film is the subtle details, often humorous, of the sets/extras. This film made great use of the background for both humorous and dark mood setting purposes.

The one complaint I had with this film was the abrupt transition to some sort of symbolic "meta-scene" right around the last 10 minutes of the film. It just felt jarring and didn't really resolve or leave me thinking anything. I would not be surprised if I just missed some symbolism, but it just didn't resonate with me. But luckily I did not feel it ruined the film for me.

So in summary, this film is a fantastic surface level action flick. I would describe it as the inverse of the TV show "Cops". Similar camera-work during the action. It also had some real depth to it's characters, and man was there chemistry. It'll leave you wishing you could see more of the characters yet the point kind of is that you just see a glimpse of their lives. More would take away from the poignancy.