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Poster for Black Dog

Black Dog

Seen it?

2024 | 116 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (98% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 56 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Released from jail, Lang returns to his hometown in Northwest China. As part of a dog patrol tasked with clearing stray dogs before the 2008 Olympics, he bonds with a black stray. The two lonely souls embark on a new journey together.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.1 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival: Un Certain Regard. Also nominated for 1 Independent Spirit Award. Plus 2 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $5 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 43K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Guan Hu

  • Eddie PengLang Yonghui
  • Tong LiyaGrape
  • Jia ZhangkeUncle Yao
  • Zhang YiManager
  • Zhou YouNie Shili
  • Hu XiaoguangButcher Hu
  • Wang YiquanPolice Officer Liu
  • Niu BenMr. Camel
  • Yin YuanzhangNoodle Restaurant Owner
  • Zhang LiYang Da