There has been some controversy surrounding this film, which is surprising as there is nothing more than one controversial scene. And even that, while being essential to the plot, doesn’t shock or come at the viewer unexpectedly. The viewer was prepared for it, and it was even hinted at in a few of the preceding scenes.
The action takes place in rural Tennessee, and the main protagonist is a young girl, Lewellen (Dakota Fanning), who lives with her father and grandmother, as her mother had left the family sometime in the past. Those were the times when rock and roll music was taking hold – Elvis was starting his career, and church pastors were preaching about the devil’s influence on this new music and how it would cast a spell on everyone who fell under its influence.
Lewellen is in love with Elvis and his music. The music gives her a chance to escape from reality around her. Her mother ran away, and the father brought women home so frequently that Lewellen stopped caring. A twelve, Elvis’s music was her inspiration to sing, dance, and innocently kiss a younger boy with whom she hangs out. A quick peck on the lips is all they do (despite the suspicion of her grandmother that something else might be going on).
But things are about to change….
The scenery in Hounddog is magnificent, the camerawork excellent, and the nostalgic atmosphere of a southern American life of that era is present. Yet, the film lacks a bit in pace. It seems to me that lately, this has become a trend. Through directors may feel that longer screen time allows the viewer to get to know the characters. In my opinion, that result is rarely achieved. Without a doubt, one of the film’s biggest assets is its brilliant soundtrack and the outstanding performance of Dakota Fanning. Despite her fame, I have never seen Dakota on screen before. The emotional portrayal of her character in Hounddog convinced me that the superlatives about her talents and skills as an actor are well deserved. Worth mentioning is the performance of the supporting cast, especially Cody Hanford’s in the role of Lewellen’s friend Buddy and Afemo Omilami in the part of Lewellen’s older friend, who always seems ready with a handy piece of advice or a word of wisdom. From it comes my favorite quote from the film:
“If you don’t, you keep on singing, keep on feeling the spirit. If your dreams go underground for a while, buried so deep in the earth so they can survive, you keep feeling the spirit even in the dark.”
Oddly, the film reminded me of Nabokov’s Lolita, despite the different focus of the story. Some reviewers seem to think that Dakota’s acting is overly suggestive, which I can only perceive as an extreme detachment from the reality nowadays (and I would guess in the 50s as well). It is the way Dakota’s character is portrayed that makes the film meaningful as a coming an age tale of a young girl who struggles to overcome some horrible moments while making sense of the world around her — like her dad and his ever-changing girlfriends, her conservative grandmother, her young friend, the church and the influence of music.
As I indicated at the beginning of this review, I’m mystified by the controversy surrounding this film concerning its rating and am, indeed, horrified by some critics’ opinions. If their advice becomes the norm, all we will soon be entitled to see will be meaningless films, which the US cine industry would be happy to provide by the dozen. Judging from the R rating of this film, that might have been its sole purpose. While the story is one of innocence lost, it certainly has its moral lessons, which I think are important to be viewed by a younger audience. Therefore, in the case of this film, restricting its audience is anything but wise. While I don’t advocate for a G or PG rating for every release, this is one of the increasingly frequent cases when the rating authorities made a mistake.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcV9cflbyBM
Despite the minor shortcomings (slow pace and a few clichés when it comes to the range of characters), Hounddog is a good film, with a touching story that deserves much more attention than it received after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Film title: Hounddog
Release year: 2007
Director: Deborah Kampmeier
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Cody Hanford, Isabelle Fuhrman, Granoldo Frazier, Piper Laurie, Herman McCloud, David Morse and other