Taking place in a small village on the Slovak-Moravian border, My Dog Killer tells the story of eighteen-year-old Marek who lives with his distant father. Marek is often neglected by his own father and other relatives, with his only true friend being his guard dog Killer. He escapes from his loneliness by befriending a group of local skinheads but whether Marek buys into their beliefs is hard to comprehend. He hasn't seen his mother in eight years but when she reappears into his life with his half-brother, a part gypsy kid, Marek is forced to confront his inner turmoil in order to see if hate or compassion will triumph. Mira Fornay's My Dog Killer is a subtle, meditative study of racism and hatred and the ill effects it can have on everyone and everything. The film opens with a series of long static shots, capturing the calmness and tranquility of this small town. What we soon discover is that their is much hatred boiling beneath the surface, with much of the town's populace being racist towards people from Moravia. Marek is a fascinating character whose at odds with his own feelings and Fornay never makes Marek's intentions or feelings surrounding his half-brother known. Fornay simply lets the film play out, letting the viewer slowly grasp where his feelings and intentions are. The film features no music whatsoever but even with the film's reserved qualities, much of My Dog Killer is incredibly uneasy and tense. As the film progresses we begin to discover that Marek's evolving racism and hatred for Moravians could stem from what he believes was his mother choosing them over him. Subtlely the film reveals that his mother didn't abandon him but that she was forced out of town for falling in love with a man of another skin color. This is something that young Marek never seems to fully grasp, which pushes the film to an unforgettable conclusion. My Dog Killer is a contemplative study of hatred and racism and the trickle down effect that it can cause, often leading to unnecessary tragedy. 8.25/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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