Dog Pound is an uncompromising prison drama set in a Youth Correctional Centre in Montana, USA and follows the story of juveniles Butch, Davis and Angel who are separately packed off to the facility after falling foul of the law.

When they arrive they are told that good behaviour could shorten their stay and Dog Pound explores very well how difficult it can be to avoid trouble when it is in relentless pursuit of you.

Correctional Officer Goodyear is there to correct them during their stay but is ineffectual in tackling the real problems around him. As an authority figure he is not confided in and there is a great big father-figure shaped hole at the heart of it that no-one wants or is ill-equipped to fill. The film suggests that no matter what their intentions may be, humans are essentially flawed.    

So drugs continue to pass through unchecked and violence erupts in anger management classes, of all places. Free to dish out his own brand of violence is Banks (Taylor Poulin) and his two sidekicks. As a Trustee, Banks enjoys the special privileges the position brings and it is this internal hierarchy that the film criticizes the most. Banks wastes no time in letting the three newcomers know who’s boss when he attacks a sleeping Butch (brilliantly played by Adam Butcher) in a powerful and unsettling scene.

The likeable Davis (Shane Kippel) does his best to dodge the curve balls; ‘I’m a lover, not a fighter’ but its dog eat dog in the pound. The unchecked menace of Banks and pals shows what little choice our three protagonists have but to fall deeper and deeper in the doo doo.

Tensions build, revenge is on the cards and the unspoken solidarity between the three shows itself in one of the film’s most violent scenes. The performances are excellent and it is easy to care what happens to the characters.  

Based on the 1979 Alan Clarke film ‘Scum’, Dog Pound shines a spotlight on the current state of Youth Correctional Facilities and questions whether they are water or petrol to the fire. This, and some of the other questions raised in the film would have benefited from deeper study.

Tribeca Film Festival 2010 Best Director winner Kim Chapiron cast juveniles from Youth Centre Facilities (such as Banks) for the majority of supporting roles which adds to the sense of realism and makes Dog Pound the compelling drama it is.

Extras

These include Cast and Director profiles and a featurette about casting in the Youth Centre Facility. The Tour shows the Director receiving awards and audience reactions to the film across the globe.