Written and directed by Guan Hu, co-written by Ge Rui and Wu Bing, on the edge of the Gobi desert in Northwest China, Lang returns to his hometown after being released from jail. While working for the local dog patrol team to clear the town of stray dogs before the Olympic Games, he strikes up an unlikely connection with a black dog. These two lonely souls embark on a journey together. Starring: Eddie Peng, Tong Liya, Jia Zhangke, Zhou You, Zhang Yi and Yuan Hong.
You’re forever going to be kicking things off on the right foot when your story involves an unlikely friendship between man and animal. It’s a perfect recipe for sympathy and compassion, having characters open up and show their warmer side. Although don’t misinterpret that to mean it’s going to be sickly and sentimental as that’s not at all what Black Dog is. It’s stoic and thoughtful, the tone is very earnest but the directorial style has a big presence.
Guan Hu employs a fantastic about of engrossing landscapes which give the atmosphere a wider feel. While the story itself is quite contained and focused on this singular character and his four-legged friend, the tone nicely reflects the larger issues at play, with the help of those directorial choices. Hu brings a charmingly quirky energy, it’s surprisingly warm and uses very minimal dialogue, pushing you to lean in more. The way that the story progresses is utterly natural and gradual, without necessarily being slow.
There’s a lot of great personality along the way, both in its style and in the performances. While Eddie Peng’s Lang is reserved and has a classic simple, down to earth nature, watching him develop is compelling. To see him open up and be changed by his relationship with the dog is really enjoyable. They touch upon that idea of turning a new leaf, encouraging him to start a new life. Something that’s balanced really well with its realism, there’s an optimism there but it’s impressively organic. As well as the fact that Peng is supported by an eclectic group of characters, played by a strong ensemble.
Black Dog embodies the idea of being strong yet subtle, particularly in its powerful cinematography. It holds such a quiet, humble presence and yet there’s a lot of style and personality growing as it moves forward. Guan Hu has a lot to say with this story, while never having to rely on dialogue, in no small part due to the excellent performance from Eddie Peng. It’s simple but also complicated, and incredibly touching.
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