Lawn Dogs

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Lawn Dogs ★★½ 1996

After moving into an overly manicured suburban complex for the financially secure but morally bankrupt, Morton (McDonald) and Clare (Quinlan) want their daughter to mix with the social elite. Instead, the imaginative Devon (Barton) strikes up a friendship with Trent (Rockwell), an outsider who cuts lawns in the sterile burb. At first Trent, fearing the repercussions of such a friendship, pushes Devon away. The two eventually bond over their mutual dislike for the lifeless complex. After a conflict with a couple of dim college boys, events take a turn for the worse; and Trent is forced to escape from the community with Devon's help. Interweaved with the Russian fairy tale of Baba Yaga, the climax is visually stunning. Excellent performances from both Rockwell and Barton as the unlikely friends. 101m/C VHS, DVD . GB Sam Rockwell, Mischa Barton, Kathleen Quinlan, Christopher McDonald, Bruce McGill, David Barry Gray, Eric Mabius, Tom Aldredge, Beth Grant; D: John Duigan; W: Naomi Wallace; C: Elliot Davis; M: Trevor Jones.