Lost Dogs

Lost Dogs is a Skinflint Films production, written and directed by Evan Snyder, that sees Lexi (Brianne Buishas) battle unemployment and loneliness while dog sitting the delightful Chihuahua Terrier mix, Muffi. The film is set around Venice Beach in California and it’s a very quiet, contemplative film that focuses around the disappearance of Muffi.

Snyder’s direction on Lost Dogs is strong, albeit, with some creative choices that don’t quite work. That being said, at its best, this film raises important points about the need for connection and the isolation that comes from a lack of this.

One of the strongest ways in which Snyder shows this, is through his choice of scene length. Viewers will notice that the majority of scenes will continue on for longer than expected, and this allows the viewer to really connect with the main character Lexi and experience her loneliness. A lot of these scenes follow Lexi as she does quite mundane tasks: cleaning her teeth, watering plants, watching TV. It’s hard not to compare these scenes to the work of David Lynch, although this has nothing of the surrealism that Lynch carries in his work. These scenes also allow Buishas to flourish in her role as Lexi, which is acted brilliantly.

As the film progresses through these scenes, which show the bonding between Lexi and Muffi, the narrative tension of the film begins when Muffi goes missing. What ensues from this is Lexi attempting to find the missing Muffi while also trying to escape unemployment and escape her own loneliness. The long scenes that included Muffi were heartwarming and sweet, but without Muffi, these long scenes feel quite unsettling and depressive. Indeed, upon realising that Muffi is missing, there is a wonderful use of Dutch angle from Snyder which evokes the panic felt by Lexi.

Another way that Snyder attempts to show the loneliness of Lexi, is through the colour grading of this film. It’s shot in black and white but the question kept returning of why did Snyder decide to shoot this in black and white? Beyond highlighting the mood of the film, there doesn’t seem to be an answer and, through Buishas portrayal of Lexi, it borders on being unnecessary.

At times, the dialogue feels too hyper-realistic, especially when it comes to small talk, which is a shame when it is next to pieces of strong dialogue. There is a mock interview between Lexi and an unnamed friend played by Nichole Casey, which will be relatable to any viewer who has been in a corporate interview. There is also a story told by the unnamed friend played by Evan Snyder who talks about a friend telling an owner their cat has died. He does all this while attempting to bottle flip an opened bottle of water, which perfectly encapsulates this character.

The quiet of this film is particularly striking, with very little non-diegetic music being used and plenty of scenes where Lexi is on her own in silence. In these moments, especially without Muffi, Buishas conveys a real pain amidst the quiet as she lies in her bed staring at a wall or the disappointment in her eyes when her friend, played by Snyder, leaves abruptly while they’re making a jigsaw.

There are some stunning shots in Lost Dogs and it’s clear that Snyder has a real eye for the camera. There’s a scene of Lexi and Muffi on the beach which is particularly beautiful and another of a bridge over water that the viewer won’t want to leave.

This is a film about connection amid a world of unemployment and lack of housing security, but even in this depressive backdrop, there are moments of pure joy. There are the scenes shared between Lexi and Muffi but later in the film there is a scene of Lexi dancing on the sofa in her underwear with a glass of wine that’s hard not to smile at. The last scene as well is a particularly powerful scene with Lexi running through a street similar to Frances in Frances Ha or Julie in The Worst Person in the World.

Overall, Lost Dogs is a poignant film that lingers on the quiet moments of life and highlights the importance of connection, be that human or animal. There are points where this film is captivating, but it’s held back at others by some confusing directorial choices. It is well worth a watch for those who value the quiet of Paterson or Perfect Days.