Sleeping Dogs Lie (2005)

64% of critics liked it
(50 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(4,621 ratings)

A youthful indiscretion threatens to derail the relationship between an otherwise predictable young woman and her nice-guy fiancé in director Bob Goldthwait's revealing look at the high price of honesty in committed relationships. To the unassuming eye, Amy is a normal young woman with a bright… More A youthful indiscretion threatens to derail the relationship between an otherwise predictable young woman and her nice-guy fiancé in director Bob Goldthwait's revealing look at the high price of honesty in committed relationships. To the unassuming eye, Amy is a normal young woman with a bright future and a fabulous fiancé, but when Amy's probing husband-to-be suggests that the both parties come clean about their pasts before exchanging rings, the revelation that follows may be more than he's able to handle. Encouraged by her co-worker and mother to speak her peace and put the sexual secret of her past to bed once and for all, Amy's admission to having once participated in an uncharacteristically impulsive sexual encounter throws her wedding plans into chaos and her entire future into question. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Bobcat Goldthwait
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 20, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Apr 10, 2007
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Critic Reviews

Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle
Plays into an almost primal fear that there's something so awful in your past that if you spill the beans the other person will split -- no matter how much he or she professes that nothing you could say would ever have that effect.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
It's not like Amy was a serial canine abuser, for crying out loud. Had she been, the movie would be much more disgusting but also a lot more interesting and potentially more funny.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Improbably, the movie manages to regroup after its outrageous opening and turn into an unpredictable, almost sweet, romantic comedy about the limits of candour.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Sleeping Dogs Lie is worse than offensive, it's boring, and these busy days that's really unforgivable.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Sleeping Dogs Lie does collar big laughs for anyone who isn't skeeved out by the whole idea.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
[Director] Goldthwait explores his themes more thoughtfully than you'd expect, but ultimately, we know just how things will end. And what's subversive about that?
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Leaves us with the less than satisfying disturbing message it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
Anchored, and essentially redeemed, by a fearless performance from Melinda Page Hamilton.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...ultimately an emotionally affecting and thoroughly accomplished piece of work...
Karina Longworth, Cinematical
Bobcat Goldthwait has produced a flm that understands something about the gulf between what men claim they want from women, and the way they behave when we give it to them.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
I liked the film but thought the bestiality theme held it back. A lot of people won't want to see the movie.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
An evenly paced, gently acted and subdued black comedy with a subversive moral at its heart.
Johnny Vaughan, Sun Online
Had me howling with laughter.
James Christopher, Times [UK]
Hamilton is wonderful as the bruised victim of an oedipal insanity for truth.
Anton Bitel, Film4
This low-budget comedy-drama may not have the glossiest of coats, but nor is it the dog you might be expecting.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Despite its vomit-inducing revelation, this is a surprisingly sweet romcom with a strong comic performance by Hamilton and some thought-provoking things to say about relationships.
Jane Crowther, Total Film
A bestiality rom-com with unexpected charm. Not quite the dog's bollocks, but certainly no dog's dinner either.
, Little White Lies
Despite being thin on laughs and light on conventional romance, Sleeping Dogs manages to be both warm and witty.
Sam Toy, Empire Magazine
You can rely on Goldthwaite to demolish sentimental notions with the power of a force ten gale, but clumsy filmmaking seriously hampers his idea's own effectiveness, resulting in a rather plodding black comedy.
David Noh, Film Journal International
There's an ingratiatingly quirky spirit which keeps bubbling up in Sleeping Dogs Lie and merrily propels it along

Read all 23 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Gordon A

After seeing the triumphant 'World's Best Dad' I saught out this earlier work from Goldthwait and wasn't disappointed. Tackling the fundamental life questions around truth and honesty in relationships, it dares to challenge the romcom cliche 'honesty is always… More
After seeing the triumphant 'World's Best Dad' I saught out this earlier work from Goldthwait and wasn't disappointed. Tackling the fundamental life questions around truth and honesty in relationships, it dares to challenge the romcom cliche 'honesty is always the best policy'. The headline grabbing bestiality is only a comedy device but does seem an excessive example to use to make his points.
Lorenzo v

"A youthful, impulsive sexual encounter opens the door to a dark comedy about the complexities of honesty." An impulsive sexual encounter from her past haunts Amy, an otherwise seemingly normal young woman with a bright future and nice-guy fiancé. But… More
"A youthful, impulsive sexual encounter opens the door to a dark comedy about the complexities of honesty." An impulsive sexual encounter from her past haunts Amy, an otherwise seemingly normal young woman with a bright future and nice-guy fiancé. But her fiancé has suggested that the couple be completely honest and tell each other everything! When Amy finally relents, encouraged to tell the truth by her coworker and mother (neither of whom really knows what she has to disclose), and reveals her secret, all hell breaks loose. Review Sleeping Dogs" is a sweet little indie romantic comedy about what happens to a nice girl when she admits to her fiancé that she once gave her pet dog a blow job. Yes. You did read that correctly. The nice girl in this movie admits to giving her pet dog a blow job. She performed oral sex on a canine or, if you prefer, she blew the pooch. I thought that "Sleeping Dogs" was just wonderful. Black and mortifying and awful and funny. Black comedy cut from the same cloth as the Todd Solondz movies "Happiness" and "Storytelling". Yes, "Sleeping Dogs" is a little rough around the edges (the lack of budget shows), but the performances are spot on and the script (dealing with serious questions about secrecy and honesty and how much somebody really needs to know about you before it starts to hurt them) is a little gem. The comedian Bobcat Goldthwait wrote and directed "Sleeping Dogs". He was that loony Zed in some of the "Police Academy" films. Who'd have thought he could make such a good movie? And it is a good film. It's very good. Go and see it.
Leigh R

What? This is so not normal...
Red L

Tackles an interesting question. Should you tell your lover/fiancé absolutely every little secret about your past? I enjoyed the film; sometimes a white lie might be necessary.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Sleeping Dogs Lie," Amy(Melinda Page Hamilton), a teacher, has just gotten engaged to John(Bryce Johnson), a would-be writer who has not gotten past the delivery department of the local weekly newspaper. Before the ceremonial visit to her strict… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Sleeping Dogs Lie," Amy(Melinda Page Hamilton), a teacher, has just gotten engaged to John(Bryce Johnson), a would-be writer who has not gotten past the delivery department of the local weekly newspaper. Before the ceremonial visit to her strict parents(Geoff Pierson & Bonita Friedericy), John asks what her wildest sexual experience was. She lies, fabricating a tryst with her best friend, Linda(Morgan Murphy), when in fact it was something involving her dog, freshman year in college...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, "Sleeping Dogs Lie" is an uneven but entertaining movie. If it had taken full comedic advantage of its unique plot, this would have been a much wilder movie, but also one completely devoid of any taste. Surprisingly, the movie's strength lies on the serious side, especially late in the film when it does become rather touching.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]The movie does confuse honesty and full disclosure which are not the same thing. All couples should be honest with each other but coming clean about everything is not necessary and can be harmful.(The exceptions involve addiction and disease.) And let's face it. We have all done something we are ashamed of(believe it or not, I have voted Republican once or twice) but the level of shame depends on the activity and the person.[/font]
Barry L

You have gotta see this. Any women out there with a need for a little oral beastiality then this is the film for you.........oh god.

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

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Sleeping Dogs Lie (2005)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Gordon A

Lorenzo v

Leigh R

Red L

Walter M

Barry L

Cast

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