Hounddog(2007) Doe-eyed Dakota Fanning steps away from family fare with this controversial but powerful drama set in rural Alabama, playing a precocious but abused 12-year-old who finds comfort in the music of rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley. While she suppresses her painful memories, will her seemingly indestructible spirit shatter when she suffers a shocking tragedy? David Morse, Piper Laurie and Robin Wright Penn co-star.
Movie #46 is a bit controversial ---- I just read a whole bunch of quotations from critics that disliked this film ---- they mentioned the stereotypes, they hated the dialogue, but most of them liked Dakota's acting, and I concur with that. I found this full of interesting characters, and yes, it might suggest to some people that you shouldn't be a young pretty girl walking around barefoot in the swamps deep in the south in the 1950's, but it also pointed out how beautiful the land is, how free and carefree it can be, and music seems to be the answer for this little girl. The high point with little Luellen singing the "hounddog" song with so much of a difference after what she has gone through is a very powerful scene. But this film isn't for everyone. Most of the time, I didn't know where it was going --- it seemed to be just a few weeks in the life of these people, and very Flannery O'Connorish. And isn't that what an independent film can be? Can't it take you inside the lives of some pretty ugly people who do nice things or some pretty people who do ugly things? And this one does it, but the traumatic scene was difficult to watch. and I imagine to film with little kids.
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