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Dogville

Play trailer Poster for Dogville R Released May 19, 2003 2h 58m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
70% Tomatometer 164 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
A barren soundstage is stylishly utilized to create a minimalist small-town setting in which a mysterious woman named Grace (Nicole Kidman) hides from the criminals who pursue her. The town is two-faced and offers to harbor Grace as long as she can make it worth their effort, so Grace works hard under the employ of various townspeople to win their favor. Tensions flare, however, and Grace's status as a helpless outsider provokes vicious contempt and abuse from the citizens of Dogville.
Dogville

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A challenging piece of experimental filmmaking.

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Critics Reviews

View All (164) Critics Reviews
Joshua Rothkopf In These Times Dogville's tongue-clucking point-and von Trier makes it broadly-is the hypocrisy of the Good Samaritan, but a less clinical film could have done so more powerfully. Mar 16, 2020 Full Review Alexander Walker London Evening Standard Kidman has never lacked the courage to perform in innovative productions on stage and screen, such as The Blue Room and Eyes Wide Shut. In this film, which is a bit of both, she acquits herself gamely. Jan 10, 2018 Full Review Will Self London Evening Standard For its exuberance and its difference, its fine performances and its devastating finale, Dogville is essential viewing. Jan 9, 2018 Full Review Elissa Suh Moviepudding A seductive cocktail of crushing cynicism, Dogville plays like Au Hasard Balthazar and the Stanford prison experiment mixed with the tunes of John Wesley Harding. Aug 21, 2023 Full Review Mattie Lucas The Dispatch (Lexington, NC) A bold, beautiful work of art. Rated: 4/4 Jun 5, 2019 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed [Director] Trier attempts to pass this off as art, when really it's just ridiculous. Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Mason M Another home run from my favorite director, Lars Von Trier. Dogville features all of the director's hallmarks on full display, experimental, female lead, chapters, hard to watch, long run time, and it uses all of those themes wonderfully. Even with it's limited space, Dogville makes the most out of it's story and characters, with great writing and directing, and an ingeniously horrifying closing. Dogville is not Von Trier's best, but it's a must see for any fans of interesting film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/20/24 Full Review julie b Can’t tell if we’ve all intellectualized something bad or it’s masterful. I keep going back and forth, but it’s certainly audacious, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this - how did LVT dream this up??? Dogville disarms you with its community theater production looks and sweet old man storybook narration just to stab you in the heart. Loved the storytelling, chapter structure, and how it feels like a play, and despite the run time I was never bored; I was glued to seeing how the story would unfold. - Crazy performances without any distractions, especially Nicole Kidman - “Enjoyable” even if you just take it at face value but truly very layered with big themes - It often feels like it’s daring you to laugh, but then it shifts into horrifying gear Going to be thinking about this for awhile. “Chapter two in which grace follows Tom’s plan and embarks upon physical labour” "Dogs can be taught many useful things, but not if we forgive them every time they obey their own nature" “Proof that her suffering had created anything of value” Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/19/24 Full Review Ryan S Delightful cinema... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/24 Full Review Gareth v Von Trier has made a unique and bold movie here, and for it to work the story has to interesting and for the most part it is. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/26/23 Full Review Anthony Y This movie is very very unique and a must-see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/10/23 Full Review Jack f I finally gave in and watched this movie and I was kid of put off by the theater like setting but as the movie goes on it just really works and the acting and story is brilliant. I'm guessing this movie isn't for everyone but I loved it Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/22 Full Review Read all reviews
Dogville

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Cast & Crew

Dogville

Dogville: Official Clip - This Town Is Rotten Dogville: Official Clip - This Town Is Rotten 1:38 Dogville: Official Clip - A Low, Tough Gear Dogville: Official Clip - A Low, Tough Gear 1:52 Dogville: Official Clip - Goodbye, Tom Dogville: Official Clip - Goodbye, Tom 1:49 Dogville: Official Clip - I Deserve a Spanking Dogville: Official Clip - I Deserve a Spanking 1:54 Dogville: Official Clip - The Doctrine of Stoicism Dogville: Official Clip - The Doctrine of Stoicism 2:13 Dogville: Official Clip - Chained Dogville: Official Clip - Chained 2:33 Dogville: Official Clip - Judgment is Passed Dogville: Official Clip - Judgment is Passed 2:57 Dogville: Official Clip - Willing to Learn Dogville: Official Clip - Willing to Learn 2:11 Dogville: Official Clip - A Beautiful Little Town Dogville: Official Clip - A Beautiful Little Town 2:07 Dogville: Official Clip - The Beautiful Fugitive Dogville: Official Clip - The Beautiful Fugitive 2:12 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis A barren soundstage is stylishly utilized to create a minimalist small-town setting in which a mysterious woman named Grace (Nicole Kidman) hides from the criminals who pursue her. The town is two-faced and offers to harbor Grace as long as she can make it worth their effort, so Grace works hard under the employ of various townspeople to win their favor. Tensions flare, however, and Grace's status as a helpless outsider provokes vicious contempt and abuse from the citizens of Dogville.
Director
Lars von Trier
Producer
Vibeke Windeløv
Screenwriter
Lars von Trier
Distributor
Lionsgate/Artisan
Production Co
Canal Plus Image International, 4 1/2, Zentropa Entertainment, Alan Young Pictures
Rating
R (Violence|Sexual Content)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 19, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 1, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.5M
Runtime
2h 58m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)