The story is a good one drawn out too long. There's not quite enough substance here for a full-featured film, as the story spends quite a lot of time chasing lost dogs - very realistically done. I have lost dogs several time myself when waking mutts http://www.theleadrole.co.uk http://www.followthelead.org.uk.
What power the film does have is in the interactions between Ellie and Betsy, which keep taking a back seat to walking the dogs through the park, Ellie's social life, Ellie's problem with addictive substances, and Ellie's encounters with the dog's owners. Likewise, while we finally get to see through Betsy's cracks, we never fully understand what lies beneath the full body armor Ellie uses to shield all her pain and scars. We can tell that Betsy sees much of herself in the younger woman and that she hopes to help her avoid the same mistakes she made, but we never know the full extent of what happened to Ellie.
Focusing in more on this and their relationship would have sharpened the film and increased its power. Both Ms Gaidry and Ms Gordon deliver super performances, it's just unfortunate that the film didn't take place somewhere where their characters would have been forced into more direct conflict and understanding rather than the megalopolis of LA which has its own grudges to bear upon them.
What power the film does have is in the interactions between Ellie and Betsy, which keep taking a back seat to walking the dogs through the park, Ellie's social life, Ellie's problem with addictive substances, and Ellie's encounters with the dog's owners. Likewise, while we finally get to see through Betsy's cracks, we never fully understand what lies beneath the full body armor Ellie uses to shield all her pain and scars. We can tell that Betsy sees much of herself in the younger woman and that she hopes to help her avoid the same mistakes she made, but we never know the full extent of what happened to Ellie.
Focusing in more on this and their relationship would have sharpened the film and increased its power. Both Ms Gaidry and Ms Gordon deliver super performances, it's just unfortunate that the film didn't take place somewhere where their characters would have been forced into more direct conflict and understanding rather than the megalopolis of LA which has its own grudges to bear upon them.