Do you want to see ‘Dogville’?

Dogville (2003)

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Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 152
Fresh: 106 | Rotten: 46

A challenging piece of experimental filmmaking.

Average Rating: 6.8/10
Critic Reviews: 40
Fresh: 28 | Rotten: 12

A challenging piece of experimental filmmaking.

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Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 51,314

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Movie Info

Set in a small fictional town in the U.S. during the 1930s, Lars von Trier's Dogville was filmed in a studio with a minimal set and features narration by John Hurt. On the run from a group of gangsters, Grace (Nicole Kidman) arrives in the small mining town of Dogville. Town philosopher Tom Edison (Paul Bettany) takes her in and strikes a deal with her: She'll work for the townsfolk in exchange for a safe place to hide; after two weeks the people will vote for her to either stay or go. Grace

R, 2 hr. 57 min.

Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Special Interest

Directed By: Lars von Trier

Written By: Lars von Trier

In Theaters: May 1, 2003 Wide

On DVD: Aug 24, 2004

Box Office:$1.5M

Lions Gate Films

There's nothing static about [Von Trier's] technique, but everything else about the movie is dreary and closed off.

August 7, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Magazine

| Comment

Peter Rainer

New York Magazine

Top Critic

What Lars von Trier has achieved is avant-gardism for idiots.

August 1, 2004 Comment

David Denby

New Yorker

Top Critic

Fascinating for a while but, in the end, just sleep-inducing.

May 28, 2004 Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel

| Comment

Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

Top Critic

It's a tough sit through tough questions.

May 13, 2004 Full Review Source: Arizona Republic

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Richard Nilsen

Arizona Republic

Top Critic

Singular and unforgettable -- the work of a brilliant crackpot.

April 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee

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Joe Baltake

Sacramento Bee

Top Critic

You just have to see it to believe it. Frankly, I have never seen anything like it, which is not to say that it's good or bad, but it is different and even original.

April 22, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Observer

| Comment

Andrew Sarris

New York Observer

Top Critic

These elements come together to form a movie that is clinically ironic but also unique, inspired, and quite sublime.

June 3, 2008 Full Review Source: Paste Magazine

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Robert Davis

Paste Magazine

This minimalist, digital-video-shot film has its own cinematic flash and thunder, and does things only movies can do.

July 30, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

After about an hour, the novelty wears off, and you're aching to see an actual animal and real shrubs. After two hours, you feel disappointed when you realize that this wouldn't even make a good play. After three hours, it's downright infuriating.

May 2, 2007 Full Review Source: Princeton Town Topics

| Comments (2)

Kam Williams

Princeton Town Topics

There is one vital DVD feature those interested in understanding von Trier's approach won't want to miss.

April 21, 2007 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

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Jon Lap

Apollo Guide

Manages to strike a poignant chord as a more general denunciation of humanity's latent tendencies for malicious selfishness.

May 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

'Rich with meaning or a sublime prank, Dogville gets to you.'

March 22, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Jeannette Catsoulis

Las Vegas Mercury

[Von Trier] portrays intense evil to make us wonder at the resilience and generosity of Grace, that 'alabaster' saint who exemplifies her name ... to a point.

December 6, 2004 Comment

Jeffrey Overstreet

Christianity Today Source: Christianity Today

van Trier draws really specious psychological conclusions to buttress a central misanthropy, and the film's descent into nastiness and violence is juvenile.

December 6, 2004 Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS)

| Comment

Jake Euker

F5 (Wichita, KS) Source: F5 (Wichita, KS)

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Dogville

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A mysterious woman arrives at a small mountain town and falls in love with a writer as she helps the town's citizens with their daily lives, but slowly, the town's darker side comes out.Is it possible that I've found a film that is too pessimistic even for me? No, not really. But Lars von Trier's post-modern opus

November 3, 2011

Jim Hunter

Super Reviewer

Although the movie belongs to one of my favorite genres and had high ratings, I'd been avoiding it because of its length. Knowing not whether it was wise or otherwise, I finally decided to watch it. Of course, implementation of the decision took some more time. Wonderfully cast and performed, the movie would have only

October 3, 2011

familiar stranger

Super Reviewer

Dogville Quotes

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1. Grace: You can't stand that I remind you of what it was you came here to find.
– Submitted by Chad E (14 days ago)

Submit a Quote from 'Dogville'

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Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try.
Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.