Dogman

Douglas, confined to a wheelchair, tells a psychiatrist his life story: a violent childhood, illegal dog fighting, and what he built afterwards. As an adult he runs a shelter, performs in drag at night, and trains his dogs to burgle wealthy homes. Luc Besson wrote and directed. Caleb Landry Jones carries the entire film. A large number of real dogs were used, with production split between virtual production facilities in France and locations in Newark, New Jersey. It premiered at the 80th Venice Film Festival on 31 August 2023 and opened in France on 27 September. The gap between critics and audiences is wide. Rotten Tomatoes has critics at 59 percent, with one reviewer calling it the most ludicrous film you will see all year, maybe ever, while the audience score sits at 84. It grossed 4.2 million dollars worldwide. Who it is for: viewers who enjoy Besson at his most melodramatic and excessive, and anyone who wants to watch Landry Jones work. Who it is not for: people who want realism. The tone swings between serious and absurd, which is where most critics got stuck.