Beauty and the dogs Film Difficulty Ranking:3
Beauty and the Dogs is one traumatic roller coaster ride. There’s no respite from the very first cut and once you’ve strapped in you have to watch until the end of the ride.
From: Tunisia, Africa
Watch: Trailer, Amazon Buy
Next: Irreversible, The Insult, Dogville
Why Watch Beauty and the Dogs?
- For some amazing cinematography – 8 long uninterrupted shots (reminiscent of the 1 cut Birdman)
- Get angry at the horribly patronising, violent, and derogatory police
- If you dream of becoming a human rights lawyer
- For a thrill ride (that moment when she finds her handbag is like the scene in Terminator 2 when Sarah Connor sees Arnie walks out of the lift – it will give you goosebumps)
The Breakdown
The film starts with Mariam with her friend in the bathroom. She’s got a tear in her dress and she’s just about to start the university disco that she has organised. Luckily her friend has a spare dress. The only problem is that it’s a bit too bright for her and looks like her mother’s nightgown.
So she walks out of the bathroom and gets involved in the dancing and starts talking to one of the guys. Then she leaves with him. First cut – screen wipe with the no.2. The film cuts to her running from the man she left with screaming. She falls over, and when you think the man is about to grab and rape her, he gently comforts her. She’s been raped by some policeman.
From that first cut, there are 6 more for the remainder of the film. Each long shot is it’s own traumatic episode, or another tumble down the ever deepening rabbit hole.
The long shots emphasise the short amount of time between the start and end of the film. The whole film takes place within one night. They also add more tension to the film as we are drawn more into her perspective. We are never shown Mariam from afar, we are always accompanying her. That way we feel her horrible struggle more (which makes the film even more tense and hard to watch).
Conclusion
Even if it is hard to watch, you can appreciate that this is a good film. I could not disengage from the film. Firstly, there were no cuts to distract me or for me to catch my breath. Secondly, it was very emotional, driving a lot of anger, disgust, and sadness. It’s a roller coaster ride and one I’d recommend watching for those who are not faint-hearted.
','' ); } ?>