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Sleeping Dogs Lie
Roadside Attractions / Samuel Goldwyn Films LLC


7.3

based on 13 reviews
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based on 3 votes
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MPAA RATING: R for strong and aberrant sexual content, drug use and language

Starring Melinda Page Hamilton, Bryce Johnson, Geoffrey Pierson, Colby French, Jack Plotnick, Brian Posehn, Morgan Murphy, and Steve Agee

Bobcat Goldthwait has written and directed a story that adeptly explores honesty, family, forgiveness and courage. By frankly probing our relationships and idealization of the absolute virtues of honesty, Sleeping Dogs Lie is a funny and perceptive dark comedy. (Roadside Attractions)

GENRE(S):	Comedy \| Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Bob Goldthwait
DIRECTED BY:	Bob Goldthwait
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: April 10, 2007 Theatrical: October 20, 2006
RUNNING TIME:	87 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

Formerly known as "Stay"; Nominated, Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic), 2006 Sundance Film Festival

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...

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Hamilton, in her movie debut, is a find: the kinkstress next door.

Village Voice Robert Wilonsky

[Goldthwait] handles it beautifully, crafting from such rough stuff something astoundingly sweet and sharply funny about forgiveness, unconditional love, tenderness, and the things we hide just to get ourselves from one day to the next.

The Hollywood Reporter Duane Byrge

Carnal, crazy and, most amazingly, heartwarming love story.

Premiere Sara Brady

In the end, it's not Amy's secret that's the most shocking thing about Sleeping Dogs, it's Hamilton's fearless commitment to making what could have been just a cheap punch line into something warmer, richer, and far better.

San Francisco Chronicle Ruthe Stein

Lacks the marquee names and production values of big studio romantic comedies, but it connects on an emotional level most of them fail to do.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Sleeping Dogs Lie doesn't pretend to be more than it is: a blunt, provocative comedy sketch whose visual look is almost as bare as that of an episode of the underappreciated Home Box Office series "Lucky Louie." The acting, especially by Ms. Hamilton, is better than serviceable.

Los Angeles Times Mark Olsen

Rather than the escalating gross-out spectacular it could have been, Sleeping Dogs Lie is an unexpectedly thoughtful look at what it takes to make relationships work.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

There are no laughs to be had here, though, unless you count nervous titters and frat-boy sniggers at the very thought of, you know.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

It's not exactly going to be on PETA's 10-best list.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Goldthwait's movie, shot on video that makes it look dragged through puppy poop, is an unholy mess. But it also possesses a quick wit and an endearing tenderness toward Amy as honesty wrecks her life. It's sweet, doggone it.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Goldthwait explores his themes more thoughtfully than you'd expect, but ultimately, we know just how things will end. And what's subversive about that?

Variety Todd McCarthy

A game and winning performance by Melinda Page Hamilton is the only saving grace.

LA Weekly Chuck Wilson

A movie with a premise and an ad campaign promising sexual outrageousness, Sleeping Dogs Lie turns out to be rather tame.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.3 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chad S. gave it a6:
A true dog lover, had they written "Sleeping Dogs Lie", would emphasize Amy's other sin(which is arguably worse than bestiality): After sex, sex that she initiated, she dropped off her pooch...at the pound...to be euthanized. Talk about your love 'em and leave 'em stories. It recalls(well, not really) that passage in "Lolita" in which Nabokov describes the angst a canine experiences when its master puts an end to their game of "fetch the ball". Now consider Amy's dog, sitting in his cage like a furry Magdalene sister, probably wondering aloud to himself, "Ruff...Ruff...Ruff! Ruff!... Ruff..."(translation: I was just lying there minding my own business, and then...) It's not Amy who should feel humiliated, it's the dog. John(Bryce Johnson) breaks up with Amy(Melinda Page Hamilton) for the wrong reason. Her parents miss the bigger picture, too. Although "Sleeping Dogs Lie" does a mind-bending job of reconciling gross-out humor within a romantic comedy, the film is dishonest about who we should really feel sorry for.

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Sleeping Dogs Lie Roadside Attractions / Samuel Goldwyn Films LLC

Sleeping Dogs Lie
Roadside Attractions / Samuel Goldwyn Films LLC