Black Dog

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Black Dog

Released Nov 22, 2024

1h 46m

Drama

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97%

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35 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

On the edge of the Gobi desert in Northwest China, Lang returns to his hometown after being released from jail. While working for the local dog patrol team to clear the town of stray dogs before the Olympic Games, he strikes up an unlikely connection with a black dog. These two lonely souls now embark on a new journey together.

Critics Consensus

Guan Hu delivers a poetic and redemptive journey through China with Black Dog, reminding us that the best of friends often has four legs.

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Stephen Romei

The Australian

This is a man and dog versus the rest drama with a social conscience and a deadpan sense of humour.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 3, 2025

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Philip De Semlyen

Time Out

Next to Umberto D., Chinese director Guan Hu may just have made the enduring masterpiece of man-and-dog movies -- Citizen Canine, if you will -- in this soul-filling homecoming odyssey set on the windswept fringes of the Gobi Desert.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 11, 2024

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Jonathan Romney

Financial Times

Black Dog registers as an existential fable about isolation, redemption, the possibility of making connections against the odds. It is also a crime thriller and a dazzling piece of landscape cinema.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 29, 2024

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Pedro Paunero

EscribiendoCine

...a very human and universal narration of a quasi-symbiotic friendship between species...[Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Jan 13, 2025

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Jane Freebury

Jane Freebury

Bleak realities are rendered handsome in this offbeat noir featuring a moody young biker released from prison, who finds his hometown overrun by stray dogs

Rated: 4/5

Jan 4, 2025

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Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

This profoundly affecting tale of reintegration, loneliness, and human resilience is both a bold sociopolitical critique and an intimate exploration of personal struggles.

Rated: 4.5/5

Dec 26, 2024

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Mick

Outstanding story about the bonds between humans and dogs, encapsulated in one man's journey/struggle to be relevant upon release from prison. Well written and well acted.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/28/24

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John L

The dogs were good. The human acting was dreadful. The plot was good enough but it was hopelessly directed . Very unconvincing.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/10/24

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Rob W

Not expecting much, I went along and came out moved, thoughtful and lifted. Not an awful lot happens but there is momentum and a rounded story of redemption. Really liked the leads both human and canine. Really fascinating imagery alongside a tail/tale of man and dog rescuing each other. I really liked it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/01/24

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Hu Guan

Director

Eddie Peng

Lang

Liya Tong

Raisin

Zhang-Ke Jia

Uncle Yao

Yi Zhang

The manager

Zhou You

Nie

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Synopsis

On the edge of the Gobi desert in Northwest China, Lang returns to his hometown after being released from jail. While working for the local dog patrol team to clear the town of stray dogs before the Olympic Games, he strikes up an unlikely connection with a black dog. These two lonely souls now embark on a new journey together.

Director: Hu Guan
Producer: Jing Liang, Wenjiu Zhu
Screenwriter: Hu Guan, Rui Ge, Bing Wu
Production Co: The Seventh Art Pictures
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 22, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 1h 46m