Tag: dogtooth

directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

There are those filmmakers that you cannot mistaken for anyone else. I mean, all you need is up to 10 minutes of their film and bang – you know exactly who made it. I believe that Yorgos Lanthimos is one of such directors, and if you’ve seen some of his works, you probably agree with me right now. However, as much as his films are indeed fascinating, I’m not his biggest fan. Still, his creativity and some kind of oddness intrigue me enough to keep watching new productions. Today’s film is a bit older, yet worth checking out since it may introduce you to Lanthimos’ style. In this story we get to meet a couple that are bringing up their three children. Sounds like a lovely family? Not in a Lanthimos film, darling. All the children are in fact adults and have never left their house as their parents want to protect them. The son and two daughters will be ready to leave only if they lose a dogtooth. In the meantime, their parents teach them strange things, incorrect meanings of words, they lie about the outside world and don’t let the children feel or act like adults. It’s their father who decides what they do, what they get punished for and what is worth praising. The problem begins when the woman that was paid by the father to have sex with his son brings things and knowledge from the outside world. The siblings start wondering what’s really on the other side of the fence. If the description seems insane, then you’re getting the idea what you might expect from this production. It’s a psychological drama that doesn’t explain much, yet bombs you with millions of questions. There are numerous interpretations of the story and I might agree with some of them, yet I believe I have my own, which I’m sharing now so *SPOILERS ALERT*. To me, this is a story about parenthood and its consequences. Generally, parents want to raise their children to be safe, to be happy, but also to meet the parents’ expectations, respect their rules and values, or even follow an already chosen path. Lanthimos style might be very controversial, but I see the point he was trying to make (or I believe he was): some parents mistaken raising children for training dogs, as harsh as it sounds. Let me explain: a dog is about to be your companion for about 10-12 years, he/she will stay with you, follow your daily schedule, adapt to your lifestyle and never leave you. Children, however, are meant to be prepared for the outside world, no matter how much you want them to be like you. And no matter how strict or consistent you are as a parent, the child will break at some point, sooner or later. Just like with that dogtooth from the story – the father knew that adults don’t normally lose these teeth, so it’s rather sure that his children will stay with him forever. But what if the child decides to get rid of the metaphorical tooth themselves? This is exactly how I read this story, but you’re more than welcome to have another idea. The best part about Lanthimos films is that there’s for sure no one answer to anything.

My rating: 6/10
S.