Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight

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Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight

R

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1h 38m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

92%

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51 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

"Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight" thrusts us into the tumultuous world of 8-year-old Bobo, whose childhood unfolds on her family's Rhodesian farm, now Zimbabwe, as the Bush War rages to its bitter end. Set against this violent backdrop, and seen through her eyes, we witness the family's desperate attachment to Africa's soil and the deep, festering scars of a war that reshapes both land and soul.

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Critics Consensus

Tackling thorny themes with fierce intelligence and a wonderful performance by Lexi Venter, Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight is a striking feature debut from writer-director Embeth Davidtz.

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Ty Burr

Washington Post

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight manages the difficult trick of getting us to care for the Fullers while saving our sympathy for the Zimbabweans.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 30, 2025

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

This is a tremendous directorial debut in every way.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 21, 2025

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Peyton Robinson

RogerEbert.com

Embeth Davidtz’s film lands close to home as a South African woman, and the dexterity of her storytelling is certainly due to her proximity to similar dynamics.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 15, 2025

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Jorge Ignacio Castillo

The Canadian Crew

Director Davidtz is both astute by focusing on the country’s warped reality and perhaps too cautious when fleshing up the characters...Regardless, as directorial debuts go, this is a strong, assured start.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 29, 2025

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Sandie Angulo Chen

Common Sense Media

Davidtz' powerful, personal adaptation of Fuller's memoir memorably captures a young girl's coming-of-age amid civil war and political upheaval.

Jul 23, 2025

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Erik Childress

Movie Madness Podcast

Embeth Davidtz makes a confident directorial ebut delving into the roots of generational racism told through the eyes of a confident young performer in Lexi Venter

Rated: 3/4

Jul 23, 2025

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Andrea

amazing acting, story and directing. loved it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/27/25

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Shabani1976

Can tell it was made in Southern Africa, realistic depiction of a little known period in time. Love that its told from the eyes of child because its impartial and honest.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/27/25

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Meloney

Excellent movie told from a child’s perspective about the end of apartheid in Rhodesia. It seemed realistic. At times, it was hard to watch. The acting was very good. Would recommend.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/26/25

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Brian M

This was an excellent story about the end of apartheid in Zimbabwe. I just found a little difficult at times during the film to understand the dialect. However, the performance of the actors in the film was excellent.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/25

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JULIA M

Loved the movie. Amazing acting by the little girl Lexi Venter!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/25

Full Review

Brett K

Riveting thriller set to the backdrop of the 1980 election in Zimbabwe

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

Full Review

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Embeth Davidtz

Director

Zikhona Bali

Actor

Ilana Cilliers

Actor

Andreas Damm

Actor

Lexi Venter

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Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

"Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight" thrusts us into the tumultuous world of 8-year-old Bobo, whose childhood unfolds on her family's Rhodesian farm, now Zimbabwe, as the Bush War rages to its bitter end. Set against this violent backdrop, and seen through her eyes, we witness the family's desperate attachment to Africa's soil and the deep, festering scars of a war that reshapes both land and soul.

Director: Embeth Davidtz
Producer: Helena Spring, Paul Buys, Embeth Davidtz
Screenwriter: Embeth Davidtz
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Rose and Oaks Media
Rating: R (Violent/Bloody Images|Language|Some Underage Smoking/Drinking|Sexual Assault)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 11, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $446.5K
Runtime: 1h 38m