soranamicooper The TV channel showing this described it as a 'drama' and a quick check of the IMDb score of 6.9 convinced me to at least give it a go. I tend not to look much further than that so as to minimise preconceptions, although with hindsight I wish I'd noticed that the IMDb genre also made mention of fantasy and horror, which ain't my thing. It starts not unpromisingly as a teen girl and her beloved dog are thrust upon her father by his ex-wife while she flies off for some extended work project abroad. The mongrel (there are a few references to its race) is unwelcome to Dad and his apartment administrator and is kicked out to fend for itself on the streets. A rather confusing couple of hours ensued watching an unconvincing tale of animal abuse and revenge. I grew increasingly dismayed as the father/daughter story, which had potential, was overshadowed by the 'fantasy' and 'horror' elements in the dog's story. I even mistook it for (unfunny) comedy at first (I often struggle to know if a scene is meant to inspire horror or laughter). I guess the dog's the star and if you like your animals imbued with human qualities and taking the lead role, this may be for you. Even so, the story itself lacks any real drama and disappoints at just about every turn, taking the most obvious/ridiculous, but not the most interesting. There are so many scenes of inconsequence that it begs the question whether it needs 2 hours. 10-15 mins would probably do the trick.

Icedooitle Thematically, foreign films in the U.S. gain acclaim for universality. In the past, directors had pressure from their own country to stay true to their local form while studios wanted to appeal to the huge market in America. Therefore it is an impressive feat that the independent film "White God" out of Hungary is unmistakably European in style and execution, while dealing with unanimously effective subject matter. Cruelty to animals transcends language and customs as a viscerally hated act. However, one man's sacred cow is another man's steak. There are only a handful of species that bridge these gaps. Number 1 with a bullet is man's best friend. Dogs in "White God" are seen as little more than a nuisance in Urban Hungary. The used plot of an adolescent going to stay with the lesser of two divorced parents is less establishing the setting here, and more lulling you into a false state familiarity. Lili is all friction with here jaded father, and his disdain for her only friend Hagen is palpable. Hagen is the Jimmy Stuart of dogs. Not in the "Greatest Dog Actor of All Time" sense, but in the sense that he is the "Everydog." He is lovable, loyal, appropriately misbehaved, and expressive. And since the beginning of filmmaking, any character that provokes this level of emotional involvement will have to take some licks to build conflict. And man does this dog take some licks (Pun shamelessly intended). Lili's father is human but questionably humane in his actions of turning this dog away, adding him to the throng of strays in the city. From the moment of their separation, Lili and Hagen begin to break traditions as "lost pup" and "sad little girl." After the mandatory dodging of the dogcatcher, Hangar gets put through the ringer. His struggles against humanity become a statement against humanity very gradually and unrelentingly. Apart from the singular brutality that Hagen endures, originality is apparent in Lili's life juxtaposed to her lost dog.Lili isn't pigeonholed into the "Lost Dog Poster" wielding girl for 2 hours. She is more than a girl that lost her pup. She is a talented musician, spiteful daughter, sexually confused co-ed, and part of the world that is putting her best friend through hell. Her struggles are tame compared to those of Hagen, but relatable as a teen experience. She is not defined by her lost dog and we are torn between understanding and cynicism for her among these mirrored conflicts. This film is ever-building to the degree of farce by the end. There are customs and specific rules that are foreign to us in the US; but everything that matters is instantly relatable. We can argue that our immediate environment is more conscientious to the vulnerable than this world; but if you can get to the last frame of this film without an ache of guilt, being a White God has done you no favors.

gboeriksson This film is not only about the relation between dogs and humans. It is also about the Hungarian society with their neofascist political parties. How these parties persecute dissidents and minorities in the society. The total xenophobia that is shown, mostly against the population of Gypsy and Jewish origin, but especially during these days with the migrant crises. It was a fantastic powerful film also because of the ego-centric characters of the girl's parents and the brutality that money-gambling can fodder. The opening scene with the carcass and its stamp of approval also suggested the corruption inherent, and inherited, in the former communistic Hungarian state.

mockfilmsblog While dredging around Netflix, every so often you come across a title which makes you stop and try to figure out what the film is about. White God (2014) is one such movie. The box art is a young girl riding on a bicycle away from a pack of dogs. Looks kinda indie. Could be horror. Could be an art house flick. Next you read the plot synopsis according to Netflix:"When a cruel father dumps his daughter's beloved dog, Hagen, out on the highway to fend for himself, Hagen not only survives the horror of abandonment, dog fights and starvation, but rouses an angry army of mongrels out to exact revenge."Sounds like a Grind House version of Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Right? Actually, White God is so much more. Between that review and a recommend from Andrew Jupin on the We Hate Movie Podcast, I'm all in.—Continue reading at: www.mockfilmsblog.com