Crime
Drama
Thriller
When beautiful young Grace arrives in the isolated township of Dogville, the small community agrees to hide her from a gang of ruthless gangsters, and, in return, Grace agrees to do odd jobs for the townspeople.
Directors
Nicole Kidman
Grace Margaret Mulligan
Paul Bettany
Tom Edison
John Hurt
Narrator (voice)
Stellan Skarsgård
Chuck
Philip Baker Hall
Tom Edison Sr.
Ben Gazzara
Jack McKay
Chloë Sevigny
Liz Henson
Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Martha
James Caan
The Big Man
Blair Brown
Mrs. Henson
Jeremy Davies
Bill Henson
Lauren Bacall
Ma Ginger
Harriet Andersson
Gloria
Thom Hoffman
Gangster
Jean-Marc Barr
The Man with the Big Hat
John Randolph Jones
Gangster
Directors
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User reviews3
Review
Featured review
I reckon this is my favourite Lars Von Trier film. Set amidst some eerily basic staging purporting to be an hick American town, we see the arrival of "Grace" (Nicole Kidman). Now she is attired in furs and lace and is clearly on the run from something, or someone. Shortly after, some hoods turn up in the town and leave a card in case she ever shows up... The townsfolk are ostensibly nice enough - if rather an eclectic mix, and local "Tom" (Paul Bettany) takes a bit of a shine to her. Can she stay? Initially they can find nothing for her to do, but gradually they seem to embrace her and she becomes an integral - almost enthralled - member of their society. Some rather odd manipulation from the young "Jason" (Miles Purinton) causes things to start to take a darker turn, though, and she and her as yet unfulfilled beau decide that it might be time for her to go. Will she be permitted? This story is darkly brutal at times, the harshness of her increasingly inhumane treatment is exemplified by the presence of a cast that features an almost menacing Lauren Bacall, as well as effective contributions from Blair Brown, Ben Gazzara and Philip Baker Hall who all demonstrate clearly just how fake the facade in this town is. Kidman is superb, probably the best I have seen her on screen. She has a potent chemistry with the on-form Bettany and the stage lighting, paucity of settings and the overall simplicity of the production works really well before an ending that I feared might not deliver as I wanted - but boy, it does! This is well worth a watch. It illustrates the best and worst in human nature - but with the emphasis very much more on the latter!
Geronimo196725 Aug, 2023
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Box office
Budget
$10,000,000Gross worldwide
$16,690,617