Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- deadpan
- sardonic
- bleak
- arthouse movie night
- dark comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a generally favorable but deliberately mannered and abrasive black comedy, especially suited to audiences receptive to Todd Solondz's sensibility.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The dachshund passes through several owners, with each segment presenting a separate dysfunctional human story.
The film uses arch dialogue and deadpan humor to address mortality, depression, abuse, and social hostility.
The dachshund moves among owners whose failures and unhappiness are revealed through their relationships with the dog.
Critics specifically praised the subtle, elegant cinematography applied to deliberately ordinary settings.
Films like Wiener-Dog, and why
Happiness
shared episodic black comedy, dysfunctional characters, and discomforting view of ordinary unhappiness
The Lobster
shared deadpan absurdity, bleak humor, and interlinked portraits of alienated outsiders
Welcome to the Dollhouse
shared episodic structure, darkly comic human dysfunction, and emotionally abrasive character studies
The Station Agent
shared bittersweet animal-centered storytelling, melancholy, and unconventional ensemble structure
Movie Details
- Director
- Todd Solondz
- Release Date
- 2016-06-24
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (237)
Cast
- Ellen Burstyn
- Kieran Culkin
- Julie Delpy
- Danny DeVito
- Greta Gerwig
- Tracy Letts
- Zosia Mamet
- Keaton Nigel Cooke
- Haraldo Alvarez
- Rigoberto Garcia
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Wiener-Dog about?
- A dachshund becomes the silent connective thread through a series of mordantly funny, deeply unhappy American lives.
- What is Wiener-Dog like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Wiener-Dog as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Wiener-Dog violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Wiener-Dog as moderate.
- What did critics think of Wiener-Dog?
- Critics broadly found the film a generally favorable but deliberately mannered and abrasive black comedy, especially suited to audiences receptive to Todd Solondz's sensibility.
- Which films are like Wiener-Dog?
- Films with a similar feel include Happiness, The Lobster, Welcome to the Dollhouse, and The Station Agent.
- How long is Wiener-Dog?
- Wiener-Dog runs 88 minutes.
- Where can I watch Wiener-Dog?
- In United States, Wiener-Dog streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
