The Dog Pound

In his canine-riddled Uruguayan town, prize slacker David (Pablo Riera Alexandre) is renowned as the kid who masturbated so much he ended up in hospital. This summer he’s passing his time smoking dope, trying to build a house for his father (Martín Adjemian) and vaguely considering restarting his university studies. Spurred into action – of sorts – when his despairing dad, who pops in now and then, finally kicks him out, he rouses his team of local builders with the half-promise of women brought by his girlfriend from Montevideo… Watching David exercise his almost heroic capacity for dodging any kind of activity beguiles for a bit, but the languorous rhythm of Manuel Nieto Zas’s directorial debut ensures ennui proves inescapable.