Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

st-shot No one, human or otherwise will ever be as loyal and loving as a dog to his keeper. When you walk through the door after a day's work household members more than likely will greet you with a smile and civility if all is going well. If problems pre-exist then it can be a decidedly colder welcome. Not so with the worshipful family dog who lapses into a dance of euphoric hysteria upon your return. Whether away a few hours or a month the reaction never differentiates. Man's best friend is just that, unless of course your a thinking canine like Baxter.An English pit bull terrier, Baxter is a pound dog that is first given to an old woman on the verge of dementia as a companion. It is a bad union since he craves discipline and leadership and finds it lacking in the senior whom he grows to dislike. Through tragic circumstance, (probably Baxter's fault) he is soon freed from this relationship and moves in with a young married couple. Their youth and energy seem a good fit for the happy Baxter until a "hairless monstrosity" (a baby)arrives and changes the dynamic. Baxter plots against it but is given away before any permanent harm is done. Now in the care of an adolescent boy who has a fascination with the cult of Nazism, Baxter feels he is on the right path. The boy is not affectionate to the dog but he has what Baxter desires, the ability to challenge and dominate him. If nothing else Baxter craves direction.Baxter is no Benji. He is far more introspective than other dogs and a lot more self interested and predisposed to having the disposition of a cat whose independence he admires and hopes to have the chance to kill some day. He is not the ideal of trust and loyalty we expect from the domestic canine but his ruminations and view of the world are both grisly and darkly comic. He is both dangerous and lovable; after all he is a dog.Co-writer and director Jerome Boiven moves Baxter along at a quick pace as the dog goes from owner to owner. Characters are well developed and their situations detailed in a way that allow the dog to more fully state his case and move within the various subplots with ease.It may be disturbing and make some dog lovers growl but Baxter overall is a fresh, original and thought provoking work that deserves best of breed consideration.

Coventry Bizarre but truly original French thriller/black comedy that is strangely scary and disturbing even though you damn well know that the premise is pure and far-fetched fiction. The titular 'character' is a cool-looking bull terrier whose thoughts and impressions we follow throughout the entire movie. Baxter's life isn't very easy, as he keeps ending up with the wrong guardians. At first, he's given as a present to an elderly lady who clearly fears him and doesn't really want him in her house. When the lady dies under 'mysterious circumstances', Baxter is donated to the young and cheerful couple that lives on the other side of the street. For quite a while, everything goes well and Baxter is really happy in his new family…Until the couple's first baby is born. Baxter doesn't understand why he receives no more attention all of a sudden and sees the infant as a real threat for his own happiness. Baxter's final guardian is a lonely and introvert 11-year-old boy who teaches him tricks and commands. The kid has a dangerous interest in Hitler's persona, however, and he slowly turns Baxter into an aggressive killing machine. It may sound unbelievable, but I assure you it's very unsettling to hear a DOG hatching plots to kill people! Although there's absolutely no violence shown on screen, there are some very macabre things going on in this film and the atmosphere is almost unbearably tense. During several of Baxter's twisted monologues, you wonder what exactly goes on in the mind of man's best friend. We can all assume that our pets love us unconditionally, but who says they're not plotting to get rid of us? Also one of the reasons why Baxter comes across so spooky is because he talks through a very grim and monotonous voice. The actor who's credited as Baxter's voice – Maxime Leroux – would sure do a great job as a host of horror anthologies, or something. I particularly loved the climax of this ingenious French film. It shows that, no matter how egocentric and mean the dog is, it'll always be the human mind that is the most deranged…even when it's a child. Don't expect a happy ending here! Highly recommended!!

VWAdam First of all, let me say this is one of the most original films I have ever seen. The camera work and techniques are very nice. Also, the story of a dog's life and the thoughts that run through his mind about his masters is amazing.It moves slowly at times but once Baxter (the dog) meets up with his dream master, the pace really picks up.This movie is a must see for some of the amusing things Baxter thinks about and for the ending that leaves you somewhat sad, but very satisfied and/or disturbed.

Batdad I stumbled on this film at the video store quite by accident: I have long had a weakness for bull terrier dogs, whose other-worldly appearance makes them perfect for off-center stories (see Tim Burton's early film "Frankenweenie," books "The Land of Laughs" and "The Garden of Abdul Gasazi"), and I understand the director's choice of the breed to embody his bleak vision in this remarkable film. The video package copy used the word "disturbing" three times, and the film IS disturbing, but also distinctive and beautifully realized. NOT for kids or casual movie rentals (not a "date" movie). And: make sure it's subtitled, not dubbed.