Dogville

The movie is an experimental piece of film-making I suppose, which would either make you switch-off the DVD player after a few minutes or exhibit patience and watch it over some 3 sittings. Chose the latter option, more so because of the length of the movie - 3 hours.

The film about a remote town in the US was shot in a one large set with minimal, rather, no props - gives you a school theatre like feel. It takes a while getting used to the wall-less town, prop-less stage, blueberry-less blueberry bushes, dog-less dog called 'Moses', type of shit. But as the movie (and the viewer) settles down, the cast (Paul Bettany, Chloe Sevigny and James Cann) come into their own & provide some real performances as they stand up for their moral code when they come across a stranger into the town - Nicole Kidman. After a while the prop-less existence does not bother you that much and instead brings the performances into focus.

The movie by Lans Von Trier was considered an attack on the American way of life in many circles of filmdom - which is a bunch of crapola. But, Nicole Kidman just keeps climbing in the list of good actors.

Rating: * * +