The Year of the Dog

I live in Montana and am a huge fan of real Montana stories. And this one does a terrific job of capture not only the aesthetic sweeping landscapes of our state, but also some of the more nitty gritty underbelly.

The acting is outstanding. I really loved seeing Native American actors playing no stereotypical roles, they seemed to be human beings first and foremost, which was incredibly refreshing. The female lead, Julie, was also outstanding and complete natural.

The dog too is obviously amazing.

More than anything this film hits, powerfully, emotionally. I'm going to sitting this this one for a while...

Matt (Rob Grabow) is an alcoholic struggling to get clean. His mother sent him a letter with her dying wish to see him sober. His native American friend Fred (Michael Spears) offers him a 30 day stay at an isolated ranch. He encounters a stray husky.

This is a small time indie. The start has some promise. I like the little discussion between Fred and Matt about the Braves. It's a solid non-direct way to reveal the characters and it's a little funny. It's probably the last interesting scene. While I love a good doggal, that's not enough for a full length movie. Grabow is doing three jobs in this. He's a fine actor. Maybe he's a good writer, but his directing is rather lackluster.

This movie hit a nice balance between sweet, poignant, and thought provoking. As someone who's been affected by addiction in my life and relationships, I connected with the character Matt, and the arc of his redemption was uplifting. Great acting and filmography for an indie flick and I enjoyed seeing some native actors that I recognize! Better music, plot, and scenery than most of the feature films that are put out recently and this one just feels a little bit more authentic and less manufactured. Not exactly a movie for the kids but probably something I'd watch with my kids in a few years when they hit high school. The dog is super cute too 😁

Had the honor of seeing this film this evening. Shows the very personal side of someone struggling with addiction while having so many powerful reasons to stay sober.

I loves a the entire movie but two power pieces for me was the need that we all have for connection. Someone struggling to stay sober and has a friend that keeps showing up. I love this and the truth behind it, so often there is someone that never gives up and just allows the person struggling to be themselves find themselves heal. That person doesn't always do the absolute right thing but they keep showing up.

Second piece for me as an animal lover but also someone who understands connection to something or someone else might be the only thing that keeps us going. The pup was that. The relationship precious and so important.

Check out this small movie that plays big with your heart strings in a really good way. An underdog story about two of societies cast offs who help each other succeed. Beautiful scenery with a huge Montana backdrop. Created by locals of the shooting locations, it doesn't get much better than this. The directing, writing and acting are all solid and the story is well told. Really draws you in and gets you rooting for both troubled souls. The year of the dog uses a little known dog training discipline to great effect, presenting something rarely seen on screen. If you're looking for a solid drama set in a stunning location, check this movie out.