Un chien en prison

I saw this movie as a preview test screening some while ago in Germany and i left very disappointed. The movie is all about clichés, you have your Turkish prison inmate named "Döner", you have your muscular bad-boy who becomes a good guy just by taking care of a dog, the "I'm so strict" prison-director which has a heart of gold.. etc... blabla... It is described as a mixture of drama and comedy, but you wouldn't know that unless you read the program.

With today's prices for cinema you're better off buying a couple of good DVD's rather than watching this unentertaining piece of cinema. The movie might've worked for me if it were on television, but it's nothing for the big screen.

Not all prison films have to be all action affairs about fighting other prisoners to survive, violent guards and escape plans. Instead, this rather quiet and entertaining film is about a prison program that involves using inmates to train guide dogs. The theory being of course, being responsible for a dog will mean that they are more responsible for themselves.

Thomas Sarbacher does an excellent job as Mosk, the lone wolf character who is forced against his will into the program. Sarbacher does a great job presenting the reluctant character who is unable to connect to his dog, until he almost loses it. The transition from "don't care" to "must care" to "want to care" is done very well.

If the film can be criticized it is for not developing the other characters. Only the Turkish side kick figure "Döner" and his relationship to Mosk is developed at all. Several plot sub-stories were also not clearly presented, e.g. the connection to Italy, that Mosk thought he had. However, the role of the dog trainer is extremely well acted by Hark Bohm.

Nevertheless it is a well filmed prison drama. Prison life is presented realistically, without any frills. The dogs are wonderful and not super trained Lassie types and the sound track is wonderful. Good late night viewing when you're feeling like a chilled out thoughtful film.