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Hounddog

EMAILPRINTEmpire Film Group

Hounddog reviews
31
5.3 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 9 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Drama

Written by: Deborah Kampmeier

Directed by: Deborah Kampmeier

Release Date:
Theatrical: September 19, 2008
DVD: February 17, 2009

Running Time: 93 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for a disturbing sexual assault of a young girl, and brief sexuality

Starring Dakota Fanning, Robin Wright-Penn, Piper Laurie, and David Morse

Hounddog is a Southern tale set in rural Alabama in the late 1950s. It follows a spirited young girl, Lewellen, and her struggle to rise above the repression that surrounds her. (Empire Film Group)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

70

New York Magazine David Edelstein

Fanning is a child actor with a grown-up soul, and every move, every breath, seems mysteriously right.

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70

The Hollywood Reporter James Greenberg

In spite of a few missteps, the cumulative impact of the film is undeniable.

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50

Village Voice Michelle Orange

In the wake of the inadvertent betrayal that leads to her now-notorious rape (a sequence that, ironically, seems to have lost the horrific impact it needs), the film turns listless.

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50

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

The film is responsible, earnest, well-intentioned and, as it was in Sundance, maddeningly inconsistent.

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50

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Pretty but overwrought, Hounddog doesn't deserve its infamy, nor does it merit being seen or remembered.

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50

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Assembled from the debris of countless worn-out images of the Deep South and is indeed beautifully photographed. But the writer-director, Deborah Kampmeier, has become inflamed by the imagery and trusts it as the material for a story, which seems grotesque and lurid.

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50

TV Guide Ken Fox

A handsomely produced but unintentionally risible film that mistakes high grotesquerie for high gothic.

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40

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

Hounddog is never more than a sluggish dawdle from shack to swimmin' hole and back again.

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38

ReelViews James Berardinelli

A failure on pretty much every level, Hounddog would never have been known beyond Park City had it not been for the notoriety surrounding the rape scene.

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38

Premiere Jenni Miller

It was received at Sundance 2007 with a resounding thud. Not because of this controversial rape scene, but because, well, it just wasn't good. Unfortunately, even with over a year of rejiggering, it's still not good.

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30

Variety Todd McCarthy

An indigestible gumbo of Southern Gothic ingredients seasoned with snake oil, biblical hash and thoroughly unpalatable spice.

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30

Film Threat Jamie Tipps

Overall, director Deborah Kempmeir mistakes ominous and depressing for deep and meaningful, a misfire that undermines the effect it tries to achieve.

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30

Chicago Reader Joshua Katzman

A bewildering slice of southern gothic hokum, it suffers from a weak script.

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25

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Fanning gives a sensitive and fairly impressive performance. But like her over-the-top movie family, Hounddog is still trailer trash of the worst kind.

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20

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Rarely has there been a movie as misguided as Hounddog, which self-righteously indulges in exploitation while loudly decrying it.

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12

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

What I can't figure is why anyone would want to release this tripe in theaters just when Fanning has nearly lived it down. They ain't no friends of mine, or any other moviegoer.

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10

Los Angeles Times Mark Olsen

The problems that plague the movie land squarely with the writer, director and producer, Deborah Kampmeier, who has crafted a howler of a bad script, shows little affinity for working with actors and displays no visual sense behind the camera.

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0

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Fanning is remarkably collected and even dignified. As for the rest of the gang, they ought to be returned to sender.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 5.3 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jay H gave it a4:
Dakota Fanning s one of the most irritating actresses that I have ever seen. She is a poor actress and always tries to tackle roles way beyond her acting range. The movie is too slow, already been done - therefore predictable. And if she sang the title song one more time.

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