Plot: Lang returns to his hometown after 10 years in jail. His old friends and acquaintances are happy to see him return, and they try to help him as much as possible, but not everyone is delighted to see Lang come back. Meanwhile, his town is getting a facelift, and the rampant stray dogs are becoming a big problem for the city.
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April 26, 2025
It's no surprise that Jia Zhang-ke signed up for a part in this film. Black Dog could've been a film directed by the man himself. At least, the setting and the drama are vintage Jia, the presentation is a bit more atmospheric, which is in line with Hu Guan's earlier work. The result is satisfactory, but not up there with Guan's best work.
Eddie Peng's performance is strong, and the slight dash of magic realism (courtesy of the dogs) is a nice touch, but the grim and poverty-stricken setting makes it a bit too obvious why this film is doing so well in the West. There's a small lull in the middle, but the ending gets everything back on track. Black Dog's a lovely little film, but it's far from China's premium cinema.