SHEEPDOG is a blatant rip-off of GOOD WILL HUNTING’s story structure, which in turn is easily compared to ORDINARY PEOPLE. The central difference is that SHEEPDOG explores PTSD amongst veterans instead of a protagonist struggling with a traumatic childhood. Audiences get Virginia Madsen in the Robin Williams therapist role, and Steven Grayhm in the role of the patient, Matt Damon. While Madsen, Grayhm, and the messages in the film are fantastic, it’s nowhere near as much of a classic as GOOD WILL HUNTING.
So what holds SHEEPDOG from tugging at the “it’s not your fault” heartstrings? It’s the pacing. The film moves along so slowly that audiences get several big character monologues that feel important, not because the characters are going through them, but because they are based on real-life veteran stories. TL;DR: SHEEPDOG is the type of film where the message and intent are more powerful than the finished product.
FINAL THOUGHT: Watching each lead actor in SHEEPDOG “fall apart to find themselves all over again” should make audiences cry this Christmas. However, be warned that this is a slow-burn film that could’ve used one more pass in the edit before its final version.
It’s set to release in theatres on December 17th.
