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Director: Jacques Thelemaque
Cast: Pamela Gordon, Diane Gaidry, Lyn Vaus, Alan
Gelfant
Country: U.S.
Year: 2002
Running Time: 107 min
Format: video
 On
the run from an abusive relationship, Ellie hops on a plane
to Los Angeles. Out of money and knowing no one in the city,
she is left to sleep on the street and fend for herself until
she meets Betsy, a no-nonsense woman who works as a dog walker.
Betsy's health has begun to make it difficult to maintain
her business, so the two women strike up an uneasy relationship
where Ellie helps with the dog walking in return for a place
to stay.
In addition to the examination of this complicated relationship,
we are also offered a look into the sometimes eccentric world
of dog parks and dog walkers, where the social network of
the people often mimics that of the dogs. It is also a world
that provides a home for dog psychics and dog parties.
But mainly, The Dogwalker is an exploration of two
women. Director Jacques Thelemaque, aided by riveting performances
by the two lead actresses, always keeps the focus on Ellie
and Betsy. Their interactions with each other, the other dog
walkers, and the dogs provide a depth to their characters
as well as showing Ellie's growth towards independence. The
road to independence isn't always smooth, however, and The
Dogwalker is an impressive debut feature, which presents
the difficult journey and the bumps along the way.
--Dan Krovich
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