Jul 16, 2013

Dog Pound: Unpleasant, Violent, Homoerotic

Most "boys alone" movies are about boys sticking together to overcome adversity.  The grim, gritty Canadian movie Dog Pound (2010) is about brutality and chaos.

A group of juvenile delinquents are sent to the Enola Vale Youth Correction Facility in Montana, where theoretically they will be "rehabilitated":

Butch (Adam Butcher), whose heterosexuality is established with a requisite opening sex scene, comes to the rescue of the bullying victim Davis (Shane Kippel), and they develop a homoerotic bond.

But now both are subject to increasingly violent attacks by a gang of youths led by Banks (Taylor Poulin).   They refuse to tell the guards, even after Butch is poisoned, and sent to solitary confinement for refusing to reveal his assailant.







During another attack, the guard Goodyear accidentally kills their friend Angel (Mateo Morales), and Butch is sent to solitary again.  While he is in confinement, Davis is raped and beaten, and then commits suicide.  Butch emerges ready for chaos.

Alexander Conti (of Harriet the Spy) also stars as Sal.




The gay subtext and frequent nudity are not enough to save this immensely unpleasant movie.  Besides, I hate movies where all of the main characters die.

Adam Butcher hasn't done much gay-positive work, but Shane Kippel starred in Degrassi High, where his character had a gay best friend.


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