Ten Movie Tough Guys And The Dogs They Love
Because even the most hardened of killers needs a best friend.
Joseph (Peter Mullan) in Tyrannosaur (2011)
Cruel widower Joseph might not seem like your typical animal lover. His vicious temper is demonstrated in the opening scene of Paddy Considine’s directorial debut, in which he drunkenly kicks his dog Bluey to death. It’s truly upsetting viewing. But Joseph’s anguish over his impulsive actions and the tender way he buries Bluey foreshadow the film’s ambivalent portrayal of violence as a release of pent-up rage that can set people on a path to redemption.