Wiener-Dog

Wiener-Dog is a 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by Todd Solondz and featuring a star-studded cast, including Greta Gerwig, Keaton Nigel Cooke, Tracy Letts, Danny DeVito, and Julie Delpy. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2016 and is a spin-off from Solondz's 1995 film, Welcome to the Dollhouse. It adopts the structure of a four-part anthology, held together by the narrative thread of a dachshund's journey, passing from person to person and impacting their lives in significant ways.

The film opens with the introduction of the protagonist, a charming dachshund (colloquially known as a 'wiener-dog') who finds itself caught in the rhythm of human life, and fatefully tossed around different homes and different owners. This dachshund, whether it's a companion, a momentary distraction, or a brief interlude, becomes a silent witness to its owners' ambitions, love, desperation and loneliness.

The first segment of the story revolves around a young boy named Remi (Keaton Nigel Cooke), who is recovering from a severe illness. His well-meaning but clueless parents, Dina and Danny (Julie Delpy and Tracy Letts), bring the dog home to keep Remi company. However, their idealistic views of pet ownership and real-world responsibility lead to some unforeseen complexities, wrapping this segment up on a somewhat distressing note but setting the stage for the rest of the story.

In the second chapter, we meet Dawn Wiener, a character from Solondz's Welcome to the Dollhouse; now all grown up and portrayed by Greta Gerwig. Dawn comes across the Wiener-Dog on one of her trips and unthinkingly assumes the role of its custodian. The story subtly delves into Dawn's past and her current existence, mirroring her loneliness and longing with the creature at her side. The relationship she forms with Wiener-Dog offers her a sense of companionship she hasn’t experienced before.

At the halfway marker, the film transitions to the third act with a humorous interlude, a slow-moving tracking shot shows the Wiener-Dog traversing various settings, a musical accompaniment humorously speaking to the dog’s journey. It serves as a perfect homage to the road tripping culture and delivers all the feels of an on-road adventure.

The third segment pivots to Dave Schmerz (Danny DeVito), a washed-up film professor wrestling with a failed screenwriting career. Here, Wiener-Dog acts as a metaphor for Dave's stagnant life and translates his frustration into something tangible. The story in this segment is perhaps the most downbeat, touching on themes of disillusionment, failure and the disillusioning realities of the film industry.

The narrative concludes as we're introduced to Nana (Ellen Burstyn), an ailing old woman with a dark-lit past and regrets she can't shake off. After adopting the matured dachshund from an animal shelter, Nana experiences moments of self-reflection and existential dread, with the dog acting as a mirror of sorts, reflecting Nana's own impending mortality.

Opting for the less is more approach, the film purposely does not delve deep into the characters' backstories; instead, it allows the audience to interpret each scene and character based on their perceptions and experiences. Meanwhile, the dachshund offers a contrasting element to their complex human lives, providing calmness, joy, and reassurance in their moments of despair.

Todd Solondz brilliantly uses a simple, silent creature to highlight different facets of human life and thereby incite a plethora of emotions, touching upon the fragile, yet profound nature of human existence. The star-studded ensemble delivers performances that profoundly resonate with the characters they portray, further enriching your viewing experience.

The cinematography by Ed Lachman embroiders the story perfectly, with each shot capturing the unsettling beauty of the ordinary. The transitions from one segment to another are seamless, adding a rhythm to the silent observer's journey, the Wiener-Dog.

Overall, Wiener-Dog is a film that isn't easily defined, oscillating between dark comedy and poignant drama. However, the essence lies in its examination of life, death, companionship and loneliness, all from canine point of view, making it a must-watch for moviegoers who appreciate philosophical narratives and dark humor.