Wiener-Dog (2016)

Review

88min

Genre:      Comedy, Drama

Director:   Todd Solondz

Cast:        Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn…and more

Writer:     Todd Solondz

-Synopsis-

The dysfunctional lives of very different people are linked by a loveable dachshund who enriches the disillusioned existences of  its various inappropriate owners in this quirky Indie black comedy from writer/director Todd Solondz.

If you’ve seen the trailer or caught a glimpse of the posters around town, you might be forgiven for thinking ‘Wiener-Dog’ might be an edgy Indie version of 1992’s family classic ‘Beethoven’, but you’d be in for quite a surprise and should know better considering this is a film from the director of 1998’s jet black comedy/drama ‘Happiness’.

Despite the undeniable creature charms of a loveable Dachshund who’s more dignified than any of her several masters; Solondz uses “Wiener-Dog”, or “Doody” and “Cancer” as she’s ridiculously renamed, as a hook to weave a trademark dark narrative about regret and disillusionment with modern living.

As the dog is passed on from owner to owner, sometimes confusingly, she brings out the psychological core of her masters and exposes relationship dynamics; but thanks to the deadpan and inappropriate humour the result is often morbidly hilarious, you know those belly-laughs that you immediately feel guilty about… until you remember to get the stick out of your a**.

‘Wiener-Dog’ features quite a few familiar faces; from Indie stalwarts like Julie Delpy and Greta Gerwig, who inevitably brings a quirky charm to the proceedings, as well as screen legends Danny DeVito and Ellen Burstyn. But they’re all matched by the loveable brown pooch who brings Clint Eastwood levels of stoicism to the screen, and earns her hilarious and wonderfully catchy TV Western and ‘Gilligan’s Island’-inspired theme tune.

The films essentially plays like series of loosely linked relationship black comedies tinged with drama, and with a random road-trip element in the middle. ‘Wiener-Dog’ touches upon themes of isolation and discontent, with the characters often projecting their neuroses onto the dog. But fear not, despite moving at a slow pace, there’s plenty of off-kilter comedy if you have even a slightly twisted sense of humour.

This might not be Todd Solondz’s darkest film to date and there’s even a hint of hope, but compared to mainstream cinema it’s as somber as you’ll get. As a result this is pretty much “Marmite” of a film, dividing opinion and probably not for general audiences; but we’ll gladly take a dose of ‘Wiener-Dog’ as an antidote to the recent slew of mind-numbingly stupid irreverent Hollywood comedies any day.

The Bottom Line…

An acquired-taste trademark Todd Solondz quirky black comedy, this is a vivid Indie alternative to the tiresome and dull lewd studio comedies out there; if you’re looking for leftfield humour with dark charm, cute dogs and a wonderfully morbid twist which refuses to pander to silver linings, then ‘Wiener-Dog’ is your flick.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Happiness (1998)

The lives of disparate American urbanites are connected by their quirks and neuroses, as they struggle through life and the perversions of society on a quest for unattainable true happiness in this unapologetically black comedy about the bitterness of modern life.

Directed by Todd Solondz and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jane Adams and Lara Flynn Boyle among others.

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