The Super Network

Dir: Kim Chapiron
Starring: Adam Butcher, Shane Kippel, Mateo Morales and Lawrence Bayne

The Film
Dog Pound is not actually about a dog pound, however it is based upon the 1979 Alan Clarke film Scum. Director Kim Chapiron has taken that basic idea and crafted his own version, of life in a juvenile detention center. The story centers on three new teenagers to the facility, Davis (Shane Kippel) a 16 year old, Angel (Mateo Morales) a 15 year old and Butch (Adam Butcher) a 17 year old. Perhaps the most shocking thing here upon our introduction, is the fact that Butch was placed into this facility after he brutally attacked a correctional officer. The reason why though, is that the CO was punching Butch in the face and he simply retaliated. It would seem that the law didn’t take any notice of his abuse and simply shipped him off.

The film is like a fly on the wall look at this detention center, we get to see the people who work there and the boys who have been sentenced there. Throughout the course of its 90-minute running time, we get to know the basics and see how things work. The first third of the film is a little slow, and there isn’t too much character development, that really kicks off later on. It is because we don’t get to that right away, that I had a bit of trouble really getting engaged with them. It was far more engaging later on and it should have started much earlier. I liked the approach it took, and it wasn’t trying to make the CO’s the bad guys, just as it wasn’t trying to make the boys out to be anything other then realistic portrayals of delinquents. The CO’s were men just doing their jobs, with all the stresses that everyone has. The boys are troubled, some more than others, and of course there is a group of bullies who mess with the new guys.

The films strong points really start with that approach, to strip it down and make it real. It is a gritty film, and it really does hit hard once it gets going. The detention center came off as feeling genuine, not anything overly exaggerated, and that worked really well. Sure some of the elements were a little clichéd, but it didn’t really take anything away. The performances are also rather solid, with Adam Butcher being the clear standout. His character Butch is a very angry person, and it seems no matter what he does he just can’t catch a break. There are no boundaries for him, and it is at times frightening to watch his scenes because he is so unpredictable. Shane Kippel and Mateo Morales are both good as well, but their characters don’t get fleshed out as much. The CO’s are all pretty good, the actors definitely tried to elevate their characters to be more than one-dimensional.

Overall I was impressed with this, it doesn’t quite stand out above the other prison films from the last few years, but it certainly will stick with you after you watch it. It brings attention the harsh situations that these places face, and it really tries to make a statement that they do need to change for the better. Why do the bullies get away with everything? Why are some CO’s left to work there when they are unstable? It is important to think about, and definitely a message worth sending. Kim Chapiron is certainly a talented director, and I do think he will be one to keep an eye on in the future.

The Australian DVD 
Audio/Video: The copy I reviewed was a screener disc.

Extras: The DVD release will come with two additional extras.
*The Tour: A look at the film doing the festival circuit and seeing the different reactions it has gotten. A decent little insight, and a nice addition.
*Director and Character Profiles: An interesting look into Kim Chapiron and the characters. A cool bonus, and I enjoyed watching it.

Rating

Details here.

Thanks to Simone at Hopscotch for the copy.