Stray

A day in the life of Zeytin is, for the most part, an agreeable experience that doubles as a dog’s-eye-view of humans.

Throughout the mostly wordless “Stray,” we wonder with compassion and considerable self-critique whom the society uplifts and supports vs. whom it chooses to disregard and deem invisible.

From its opening tracking shot of four furry legs sauntering through a bed of colorful pansies as cars and trucks whoosh nearby, Stray is a documentary of unhurried pleasures.

At last, just what world cinema really needs right now: an exquisitely made film about street dogs in Istanbul, satiating that universal desire to see distant lands, coo over beautiful, noble animals, and satisfy the audience’s need to feel guilty about the misfortune of poorer, unluckier people.

Lo’s humane film helps us glimpse the lives of those who are often overlooked, whether they walk the streets of Istanbul on four legs or two.

Following the freewheeling day to day life of dogs living on the streets of Istanbul, the initial novelty and intrigue of this extraordinary documentary broadens further to a profound meditation on how mankind treats our so-called best friends, and one another.

Lo wants to make a point, obviously, but I came out of this picture with some questions. And I also thought of an observation made by the music critic Robert Christgau, a metaphorical point addressing a type of artistic preciousness: “If I found a cat trapped in a washing machine, I wouldn't set up a recording studio there—I'd just open the door.”

It's the kind of movie that makes you go **** about every 30 seconds. However, director Elizabeth Lo's debut documentary feature about the street dogs of Istanbul -- which are legally protected against euthanasia and illicit captivity -- diverges from its central narrative a little too much, pursuing tangents that draw attention away from its principal subject. In particular, the film devotes considerable attention to the city's homeless refugee workers, an attempt to draw parallels between Istanbul's street people and their canine companions, an intriguing approach that, while interesting, comes across as somewhat unfocused. The film would have fared better if it had sought to do for the city's street dogs what "Kedi" (2016) did for its feral felines. If you're looking for a film loaded with loving footage of adorable pooches, "Stray" makes for a nice diversion. However, if you're searching for groundbreaking documentary filmmaking, this one misses the mark, despite seemingly good intentions.