The film that Dogs reminded me of the most throughout watching it was the Coen Brothers’ 2007 film, No Country For Old Men. That film and debut Romanian filmmaker, Bogdan Mirică’s Dogs are both bleak neo-westerns set in harsh, unforgiving desert landscapes, filled with characters who are violent, stuck in a bad situation, or are simply dealt with some seriously bad luck; with paths crossing in ways that are unexpected and purposefully unsatisfying in a traditionally cinematic way. Not to say that Dogs is as good as the Best Picture winning Cormac McCarthy adaptation, but it does setup the kind of film you’re getting into.
It follows Roman (Dragoș Bucur), a man who has just inherited a vast amount of land near the Ukrainian border from his late grandfather. It’s not the most appealing piece of land, but there is a lot of it. Of course, as he gets to know the area, he realizes that his grandfather may not have acquired the land through the most, let’s just say “legitimate” means. He also discovers vehicles meeting on the property late at night, likely up to shady business, and at the same time, the comically minuscule police presence in the area are investigating a severed foot found in a swamp.
The film makes a few tough asks of its audience. With its slow burn pacing, sudden and grotesque displays of brutality, and overall nihilistic atmosphere, it does not necessarily make for pleasant viewing. I think Mirică does display some commendable skill as a filmmaker here, especially in being able to create an aura of malevolence without overindulging in standard genre tropes. With cinematographer, Andrei Butica, the visuals do a lot of heavy lifting in giving the film’s more striking moments a lot of weight and impact.
However, I don’t know if I would go as far as to say that the viewer’s patience will ultimately be rewarded. The film lacks the philosophical underpinnings that made a film like No Country For Old Men a still beloved hit for film goers beyond its effortlessly compelling filmmaking. Despite some of the events in the film, there isn’t a sense of urgency, nothing that keeps you moving from scene to scene. The craft behind it, as well as the fairly strong performances might be enough to over look these shortcomings, but I would be lying if I said that my patience didn’t feel tested at a few points.
Dogs does feature moments of dry humor that shows some personality that I wish Bogdan Mirică had doubled down on. For the most part, the film is deeply morose and serious-minded, and it can make things monotonous and drag after a while. There are a few elements that come into play that break the rhythm in interesting ways, but it all ultimately builds to a fairly predictable conclusion. That said, I wouldn’t say this is a bad film, simply one that needed a little bit more to feel whole and substantive. Mirică has talent, that much is clear, and there is quite a bit to like here. So, I look forward to see how he grows as a filmmaker from here. If you’re looking to get into Romanian cinema, this ain’t bad.
Dogs is now out in select theaters and virtual cinemas.