DOGMAN

Italy, 2018, 103 minutes, Colour.
Marcello Fonte, Eduardo Pesce, Adamo Dionisi.
Directed by Matteo Garrone.

This is a very strong Italian drama, directed by Matteo Garrone who made quite an impact with his expose of the Camorra, Gomorrah.

This time his scope is more limited, the seemingly insignificant man who lives in a small Italian town in the south. He is married, devoted to his daughter. He is a dog-carer and trainer. Initially, he comes across as very sympathetic, an excellent performance by Marcelo Fonte. Then we begin to learn more about him.

He is a local drug dealer, getting supplies of cocaine, distributing them around the town, especially to the big bruiser, Simone (Eduardo Pesce). He is a fighter, involved in bouts. He also has a very limited intellectual capacity. He is brutal in his dealings with Marcello, even calling in help from local thugs.

Marcello has dreams of taking his wife and daughter on world travels. However, his life is complicated, genial on the surface with customers and their dogs, but caught up in the world of drug dealing. The police arrest him and ask him to name names, but he refuses, actually going to jail for a year (although the film does not show his time in prison).

Marcello then becomes resourceful, tricking Simone into a situation, setting up mechanisms whereby Simone dies. Marcello then carries his body to the open beach and burns it.

A powerful morality tale challenging audience values and sympathies.

1. The title, the focus on Marcello and his work?

2. The work of the director, portrait of southern Italy, Naples? Crime and the South?

3. A portrait of characters, situations? Insight into characters, crime in southern Italy?

4. The situation and locations, the town, the outskirts of Naples? The shopfront, Dogman, the work with the dogs? The gold seller next-door? The thieves, in action, robberies? The clients? The world of drugs in dealing? The sequences of prison? Authentic, Italian?

5. The portrait of Marcello, a simple man, involved in crime, his relationship with his wife, the love for his daughter, the promise of trips (and the later trip to the red Sea)? His work, clients, the range of dogs and their performance?

6. The dogs, the variety, treatment and care, detail?

7. Simon, tough, large, the robberies, the proceeds, his wanting cocaine, contacting Marcello, the issue of money, his not paying? Going to Franco, Franco and his men, rough? The clubs and behaviour?

8. Marcello, his contacts, holding the drugs, the supply, the effect, the issues of payment? The relationship with Simon?

9. Marcello, caught up, the threats from Simon?

10. The police, his arrest, interrogations? The option of giving a name or going to jail? His protecting the criminals? Going to jail?

11. The year in jail, its effect, getting out, the issue of surviving, going back to his business, his truck and the dog-sitting, the clients and scouting out the women, coming to the store? His being shunned by people in the town, presuming that he was a traitor? Simon, the demands for money, his refusal? His brutality towards Marcello?

12. Marcello’s plan, feeding the drugs to Simon, the rendezvous at the shop, to meet the dealer, Simon persuaded to go into the cage, his attack on Marcello, the chain, the noose, the struggle, punching Marcello, his death? Marcello, taking the body, to the open space, setting it alight? His appeal to everybody in the town, their ignoring him?

13. Marcello story of experience? His future?