Straw Dogs

"Everyone has a breaking point."

2011 1h 50m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 656

DramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young couple moves to a quaint southern town. Soon their perfect getaway turns out to become a living hell when dark secrets and lethal passions spiral out of control.

“Everyone has a breaking point.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

James Marsden
David Sumner
Kate Bosworth
Amy Sumner
Alexander Skarsgård
Charlie Venner
Dominic Purcell
Jeremy Niles
Laz Alonso
Deputy John Burke
Willa Holland
Janice Heddon
James Woods
Tom Heddon
Walton Goggins
Daniel Niles

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Rod Lurie
Writers: Rod Lurie, David Zelag Goodman, Sam Peckinpah
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 41% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Rod Lurie, shot by Alik Sakharov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Larry Groupé. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sarah Boyd shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

James Marsden and Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgård carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Everyone has a breaking point.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0999913 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Rod Lurie directs. Alik Sakharov behind the camera. Larry Groupé scores. Sarah Boyd cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 41% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 15 years ago.
3Directed by Rod Lurie, shot by Alik Sakharov. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Larry Groupé. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Sarah Boyd shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6James Marsden and Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgård carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Everyone has a breaking point.".
8IMDB entry: tt0999913 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "rape", "husband wife relationship", "southern usa", "barn".

The technical file

Cinematography: Alik Sakharov
Original score: Larry Groupé
Editing: Sarah Boyd
Production design: Tony Fanning
Costume design: Lynn Falconer
Stunt coordinator: Mic Rodgers
Runtime: 110 min · 1h 50m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $25,000,000
Box office: $10,324,441
Return: 41% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Straw Dogs (2011)

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Rod Lurie

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2024-10-30
★ 7/10
How far can a civilized man be pushed? A well-to-do couple from Los Angeles (James Marsden and Kate Bosworth) move back to the wife's hometown in southern Mississippi and settle into the now vacant homestead. They enlist some roofers whom she knows from growing up, the leader being 6'4" Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård), a former boyfriend. Rivalry is in the air as he subtly tries to emasculate Amy’s brainy husband and she starts to question his manhood. Havoc ensues. “Straw Dogs” (2011) was shot in late summer, 2009, but not released until two years later. It’s a remake of the Peckinpah's film from 40 years prior, which changes the setting from the Cornish countryside of southwest England to the modern Deep South. It’s a psychological-thriller and so there's a lot of drama and subtle suspense build-up; things don't blow-up until the final act, similar to “Cop Land.” Anyone looking for mindless action should stay away, but those who enjoy films shot in the Deep South will likely appreciate this newer version. There are also similarities to "Of Mice and Men," like the mentally challenged guy who doesn't know his own strength (Dominic Purcell). The conflict here is basically brawn vs. brain or Lynyrd Skynyrd vs. Bach. Some have complained that Marsden was wrong for the role of the protagonist since it called for someone of shorter stature, like Dustin Hoffman in the original, but I feel Marsden is an improvement as David. This is a totally civilized man of average stature (5'10") with an intellectual occupation who is forced to shed all his civilized conditioning and revert back to the barbarism of his ancestors. Meanwhile Bosworth is superior to Susan George IMHO because she’s more intelligent and less all-around annoying. In fact, every key character is superior to the 1971 movie because of quality casting. Skarsgård, for instance, is both more likable or respectable (initially) and intimidating as Charlie compared to Del Henney. And James Caan is simply more entertaining in the role originally played by Peter Vaughan. There are also additional scenes that make it better than Peckinpah’s rendition, like the confrontation in the church parking lot and David’s explanation of what ‘straw dogs’ means. Questions are raised: Why would a rape-victim keep silent? Why is the popular high school cheerleader interested in the local mentally-challenged hunk? Why does the ex-coach hate this poor sob and why is he so rash? A little reflection will answer these and other questions. I like it when films don't spell everything out and make you think. If you appreciate Southern Gothic or Rural Gothic, as well as psychological crime thrillers, you should appreciate this. The flick is sophisticated and sneers at binary good/bad characterizations, rubbing the viewer’s face in humanity’s animalistic (or fallen) nature, which lies just beneath the veneer of civilized proprieties. I should add that there's a hard-to-watch rape scene and at least one other sexually suggestive scene (where you can't make anything out, but you know what's going on), not to mention the mayhem of the climax. But it's mostly an intelligent drama that slowly builds tension. It runs 1 hour, 50 minutes, which is 8 minutes less than the 1971 version (making it more streamlined). It was shot in Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana, and Vivian, which is a half hour drive northwest of the city. GRADE: B

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