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The Cave of the Yellow Dog
  • Studio: Tartan
  • Release Date: Nov 10, 2006
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
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  1. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    100
    It's the perfect antidote to overprocessed entertainment, for moviegoers of any age.
  2. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: Gianni Truzzi
    100
    Yellow Dog shows Davaa's growing refinement as a filmmaker, and that the success of "Weeping Camel" -- her master's thesis for film school in Munich that became an Oscar nominee -- was fully deserved.
  3. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Josh Rosenblatt
    89
    A remarkable movie: touching, honest, and unassuming, without a hint of irony or false motive.
  4. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    88
    Children and animals, if they're handled right, can be among the great natural movie actors, and in The Cave of the Yellow Dog, writer-director Byambasuren Davaa handles her cast of youngsters and creatures (and a few adults) heartwarmingly well.
  5. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    88
    Davaa's second fable of animals and the people who love them mixes aspects of ethnographic filmmaking with heart-grabbing story lines that wouldn't be too far out of place in a 1950s live-action Disney feature.
  6. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    80
    It's not a picture with tremendous drama, and the entirely nonprofessional cast is sometimes a little stiff, but on sheer charm, intimacy and the pictorial wonder of its setting in the wide-open Mongolian grasslands, it's one of the family pictures of the year.
  7. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    75
    Sweet isn't a word often used to describe movies these days, but it's one that applies to The Cave of the Yellow Dog.
  8. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Walter Addiego
    75
    This is a timeless, and nearly plotless, look at the day-to-day life of a nomadic Mongolian shepherding family. Yes, it moves deliberately, and impatient viewers will find it intolerably slow. But those who can get in track with its serene rhythm will be rewarded.
  9. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Nathan Rabin
    75
    Writer-director Davaa allows the drama to emerge organically out of the characters, the beautifully captured setting, and the conflict between the past and the present.
  10. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ernest Hardy
    70
    The Cave of the Yellow Dog has an abundance of gentle humor, much of it provided by an adorably scruffy toddler, but there's also impressive strength and wisdom in the family's uncomplaining, shoulder-to-the-wheel approach to the world.
  11. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Leslie Camhi
    70
    At times the film's Buddhist lessons feel a bit forced, but the naturalistic performances Davaa has coaxed from a real-life Mongolian family, and her intimate understanding of their culture and values, give this sensitive portrayal its heft.
  12. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Crust
    70
    Davaa has made a sweetly meditative film.
  13. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Sheri Linden
    60
    The film offers fascinating glimpses of a hardworking but unhurried way of life, though it doesn't have the powerful dramatic hook of "The Story of the Weeping Camel."
  14. Variety
    Reviewed by: Derek Elley
    60
    Davaa's strong visual sense, engaging cast and respect for basic film grammar make this slim exercise in managed reality go the distance.
  15. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    50
    The dog is cute, the children are adorable, and the earth and the sky seem to stretch on without limit in The Cave of the Yellow Dog. Unfortunately, so does the slight story.
  16. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Andrea Gronvall
    50
    Despite the exotic locale and the photogenic moppets, that's not enough for a satisfying movie.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 8 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. [Anonymous]
    7
    Fascinating glimpses of a way of life little known to most of us. Nicely made film, lovely cinematography, but the storyline is too meager even for minimalist tastes.… Full Review »
  2. GrantC.
    8
    A beautiful meditation on unhurried nomadic lives. Seeing the day to day existence of the family is more fascinating than the story of the dog, which feels slightly uncomfortably grafted onto the film's straightforward ethnography. I was moved and involved with the whole thing, though, and the film contains many striking and memorable images. A rare film in which you feel your time has been rewarded.… Full Review »
  3. StevenS.
    7
    Very simplistic story about a family whose eldest daughter finds a dog her father doesn't want her to keep. I would say well-acted, but I think the family essentially just played themselve ... almost more of a snapshot into what life is like on the Mongolian steppes with a simple story attached to make it "interesting". I'm not sure the story was a necessary addition.… Full Review »
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