Written and directed by Lorna Nickson Brown, a silent man is lifted out of a life of exploitation through an unexpected bond with guard dog, Sabre, and the healing power of nature. Starring: Sid Phoenix, Paula Wharton, Lily McGrath, Martin Kennedy, Caroline Gray, Aaron Virdee, Jonathan Escoto Brown and Julie Brown.
Diving into Dog Run, it quickly has a sinister feel and a style that’s reminiscent of BBC crime dramas like Luther or River, having an everyday air with a dark edge. It delves into the ease with which human trafficking operates and the daily threat that it poses. It’s an issue which many may think of as related to countries far outside the UK but it’s much closer to home. The initial scenes capture its casual cruelty and the endless cycle of violence, that’s typically framed maliciously as mutually beneficial to give victims no escape.
However, as the story moves forward, Lorna Nickson Brown attempts to show the lighter side, to hold onto a sense of hope. Exploring the idea of holding onto your sanity by finding beauty in the small things or expressing compassion through animals. From there it creates a back and forth, moving between dark and light which is a rather delicate balance and it feels like Dog Run falls a bit too much to the latter. You can see the intention to not simply create a harsh, unforgiving and gritty story but to have faith in a better future but being such a harrowing topic, it needs to still hold onto that reality.
The performances are another element which plays with the balance of kindness versus cruelty. Primarily the lead Jan, played by Sid Phoenix, he creates a compelling character, existing between the lines of naivety and resilience. There’s a mix of weakness and strength, he may be stuck under the thumb of criminals but builds an example of the strength of the human spirit. Paula Wharton’s May is an interesting one, to create that classic detestable, selfish character then to add small layers of fear and unseen pressure. Portraying her inner workings, with the film dipping its toes into the idea of perspective and going beyond the surface image.
Dog Run pits cruelty against hope, exploring how much harm and hopelessness the human spirit can withstand. It can tend to see the lighter side too much, throwing off its emotional balance and tone, particularly with its ending choices but beneath that there is a portrayal of how human trafficking and modern slavery are a dangerous presence in the UK. The direction adapts to the different tones from sinister to hopeful, the performances are strong and Lorna Nickson Brown presents an accessible foray into the topic.
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