Dog Days

A minor masterpiece of misanthropy, Austrian documentary filmmaker Ulrich Seidl's first fiction feature is an episodic tale revolving around a bunch of suburban Vienna residents during the most uncomfortable days of summer, when the blistering heat leads to lethargy and sparks short tempers. The array of characters--among them an elderly widower who hits on his housekeeper, a married couple who've lost a child and now live separate lives in the same house, a mentally-impaired hitchhiker who falls afoul of a harried security systems salesman, and a middle-aged woman brutalized by her boyfriend--don't possess a single redeeming quality; they're all irremediably foul and nasty, and spend most of their time treating one another badly. In addition, the film boasts plenty of nudity, but none of it is remotely titillating, since it's all associated with aging, degradation, or simple ennui. A bleak, uncompromising reverie on human misery and meanness, filled with violence and cruelty both minor and major, as well as a streak of bitter humor, Dog Days certainly won't be every viewer's cup of tea, but those who like their brew strong and sugarless may find it grotesquely mesmerizing. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a three-minute subtitled interview with director Ulrich Seidl and a trailer. Bottom line: a small extras package for a solid foreign film.] (F. Swietek)