Dark comedy master Mike White (The Good Girl, Chuck & Buck) makes his directorial debut with Year of the Dog, a silly yet emotional film about a loner's journey toward self-discovery following the sudden death of her beloved pet pooch. "Saturday Night Live" alum Molly Shannon plays the film's frazzled leading lady with a level of subtlety previously unexplored in her work. She's aided by a supporting cast that includes Peter Sarsgaard, John C. Reilley, Laura Dern, and Regina King. In true White fashion, things get wildly out of hand and progress to uncomfortable levels of devastation, but this is much more of a redemptive film than his previous efforts. Its melancholy is undeniable, but it can also be described as hopeful.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
DVD of the Week: Year of the Dog
Dark comedy master Mike White (The Good Girl, Chuck & Buck) makes his directorial debut with Year of the Dog, a silly yet emotional film about a loner's journey toward self-discovery following the sudden death of her beloved pet pooch. "Saturday Night Live" alum Molly Shannon plays the film's frazzled leading lady with a level of subtlety previously unexplored in her work. She's aided by a supporting cast that includes Peter Sarsgaard, John C. Reilley, Laura Dern, and Regina King. In true White fashion, things get wildly out of hand and progress to uncomfortable levels of devastation, but this is much more of a redemptive film than his previous efforts. Its melancholy is undeniable, but it can also be described as hopeful.
