After almost being inadvertently sent to an early grave by his wide-eyed juvenile owner, an insensible daschund passes through the hands of a lonely, sweet natured vet tech (Greta Gerwig), a hack screenwriter and film school professor (Danny DeVito), and a caustic elderly woman (Ellen Burstyn). Wiener-Dog features a typical Todd Solondz screenplay, residing somewhere between blackly humorous and just wrong, telling another distinct and accurately feeling suburban story that is found nowhere else in cinema I can think of. Much of the film's merit can be found in each individual story but not necessarily as a cohesive whole and it is odd that Solondz seems to be following the Au Hasard Balthazar blueprint, but generates almost no empathy for his star. Burstyn is wonderful in the final segment.
*** out of ****
