The Year of the Dog

Matt (Rob Grabow) is an alcoholic struggling to get clean. His mother sent him a letter with her dying wish to see him sober. His native American friend Fred (Michael Spears) offers him a 30 day stay at an isolated ranch. He encounters a stray husky.

This is a small time indie. The start has some promise. I like the little discussion between Fred and Matt about the Braves. It's a solid non-direct way to reveal the characters and it's a little funny. It's probably the last interesting scene. While I love a good doggal, that's not enough for a full length movie. Grabow is doing three jobs in this. He's a fine actor. Maybe he's a good writer, but his directing is rather lackluster.

Check out this small movie that plays big with your heart strings in a really good way. An underdog story about two of societies cast offs who help each other succeed. Beautiful scenery with a huge Montana backdrop. Created by locals of the shooting locations, it doesn't get much better than this. The directing, writing and acting are all solid and the story is well told. Really draws you in and gets you rooting for both troubled souls. The year of the dog uses a little known dog training discipline to great effect, presenting something rarely seen on screen. If you're looking for a solid drama set in a stunning location, check this movie out.

I live in Montana and am a huge fan of real Montana stories. And this one does a terrific job of capture not only the aesthetic sweeping landscapes of our state, but also some of the more nitty gritty underbelly.

The acting is outstanding. I really loved seeing Native American actors playing no stereotypical roles, they seemed to be human beings first and foremost, which was incredibly refreshing. The female lead, Julie, was also outstanding and complete natural.

The dog too is obviously amazing.

More than anything this film hits, powerfully, emotionally. I'm going to sitting this this one for a while...

There's a lot to love about this movie - maybe my favorite thing is that it explores male vulnerability with other men, which is something we rarely see in the movies. I believe that's something we all benefit from witnessing. And this movie has several scenes where you so deeply feel for the pain the lead character Matt, beautifully played by Rob Grabow, is going through. And you just want him to make it through!

I also love the doggies! They are so cute and it's a lot of fun to watch Matt bond with his new Husky friend. The Husky is actually a real life rescue and this film started his entertainment career which is a cool behind the scenes detail.

The most beautiful part of the movie though is that it is about connection. The importance of our connection with the ones we love when we're struggling and suffering. It's a very meaningful look at the struggle of living with addiction and working to get sober and will resonate so strongly with anyone who has struggled with or knows someone who has struggled with addiction. Go see it!!!!

This movie hit a nice balance between sweet, poignant, and thought provoking. As someone who's been affected by addiction in my life and relationships, I connected with the character Matt, and the arc of his redemption was uplifting. Great acting and filmography for an indie flick and I enjoyed seeing some native actors that I recognize! Better music, plot, and scenery than most of the feature films that are put out recently and this one just feels a little bit more authentic and less manufactured. Not exactly a movie for the kids but probably something I'd watch with my kids in a few years when they hit high school. The dog is super cute too 😁