Dogville (2003)
Kernel Score: 87% · 2,635 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Released: 2003-05-21
Runtime: 178 minutes
Is Dogville worth watching?
Depends on your taste. Lars von Trier stages a woman's refuge in a small town on a bare soundstage with chalk lines for walls. It is powerful and bleak, and almost three hours long. It rewards patience but is deliberately harsh and punishing.
Watch it if you
- like challenging, theatrical art-house cinema
- enjoy films that provoke arguments
- admire Nicole Kidman's range
Skip it if you
- can't stomach cruelty and abuse on screen
- want conventional sets and pacing
Best for: Heavy art-house night
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Dogville
- Stream: MUBI
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
A woman on the run from the mob is reluctantly accepted in a small Colorado community in exchange for labor, but when a search visits the town, she learns that their support has a price.
Dogville parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Dogville is a dark R-rated thriller involving exploitation, abuse, and violence in a morally bleak small town.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Includes bondage, violent exploitation, and a brutal final judgment, per keywords and reviews.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Moderate — Keywords indicate rape and exploitation themes are part of the narrative.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Dogville
If you liked Dogville, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Dancer in the Dark (2000) — 87%: Von Trier's devastating story of a woman pushed past her limits.
- Breaking the Waves (1996) — 86%: Von Trier's emotionally brutal drama about devotion.
- The Kingdom (1994) — 88%: Von Trier's strange, darkly comic hospital saga.
- The House That Jack Built (2018) — 81%: Von Trier's most extreme study of cruelty.
- M (1931) — 90%: Classic thriller about a community turning on someone.
- The Night of the Hunter (1955) — 89%: Dark fable of predatory evil in a small town.
Director
Cast
- Nicole Kidman as Grace Margaret Mulligan
- Paul Bettany as Tom Edison
- John Hurt as Narrator (voice)
- Stellan Skarsgård as Chuck
- Philip Baker Hall as Tom Edison Sr.
- Patricia Clarkson as Vera
- Ben Gazzara as Jack McKay
- Chloë Sevigny as Liz Henson
- Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Martha
- James Caan as The Big Man
Dogville FAQ
Is Dogville worth watching?
Depends on your taste. Lars von Trier stages a woman's refuge in a small town on a bare soundstage with chalk lines for walls. It is powerful and bleak, and almost three hours long. It rewards patience but is deliberately harsh and punishing.
Where can I watch Dogville?
In the US you can stream Dogville on MUBI.
Is Dogville OK for kids?
Dogville is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Dogville is a dark R-rated thriller involving exploitation, abuse, and violence in a morally bleak small town.
What movies are like Dogville?
If you liked Dogville, try Dancer in the Dark, Breaking the Waves, The Kingdom and The House That Jack Built.