MovieChat Forums > Lawn Dogs (1998) Discussion > Interesting Details In the Movie

Interesting Details In the Movie

posted 14 years ago by philadelphiaflyerseric
5 replies | jump to latest

Just wanted to start a list of things in the movie that I found interesting, I really enjoy the subtle details and parallels presented in the movie:

1) When Devon first visits Trent's trailer, she picks up a small dish with black pellets and swirls them around. Those look like shotgun pellets, which are likely the pellets from his gunshot wound that were recovered after he was shot by the police.

2) When the little boy ambushes Devon and has his own gun turned on him, Devon tells him he'd be doing the community a favor (by shooting himself). Without even knowing about his crimes, she was actually right about him being a "menace" to the community, since he's the true culprit stealing lamp shades and CDs.

3) Before Trent and Devon become good friends, Devon actually refers to Trent as the witch Baba Yaga and she calls his trailer Baba Yaga's trailer. As their friendship progresses, he comes a boy in the story instead of the villain. This transition seems to symbolize how if anyone bothered to get to know Trent like Devon did, they'd know he's a good person, and not a villain. And since no one else has bothered to befriend him except for Devon, he ends up being victimized and hunted down like a witch.

4) This was mentioned by another poster: When Devon's dad kindly offers food to Trent, he doesn't offer the outsider a steak that he was grilling, but tells Devon to get some hot dogs/cheap food to feed the guest.

5) An interesting parallel/comparison, along the same lines as #4, when Devon offers Trent water, the mom tells Devon to use an old dirty cup from under the sink. In contrast, Trent's mom is the opposite, wanting to offer guests the finer quality by telling Devon to use the nicer glasses with horses on them. Interestingly, the same dirty old cup from Devon's home ends up at Trent's parent's place, on a little table next to where Trent's dad sits. The old cup could be an movie prop coincidence, but I think it's likely meant to show how Trent/the poor can value something that the rich take for granted/neglect/throw away.

6) When Brett performs oral sex on Devon's mom, she drops lettuce from the salad bowl she is holding. I thought it was pretty funny when the husband cleans up the kitchen after the party, he picks up that piece of lettuce and throws it away. The piece of lettuce just cements the image of Devon's dad being a total clueless cuckold. Ironically, the dad holds Brett up as this shining example of the type of guy that Devon should date when she's older, despite Brett molesting/"tickling" his daughter.

7) Another contrasting parallel can be drawn between contrasting scenes involving Brett/Devon's mom and Trent/Devon. Brett fondles and performs oral sex in separate scenes, whereas Trent merely picks Devon up, sits her down on his truck and "shines" her shoes.

[–] TheMachinistSleeps 13 years ago

Those were good points. About #1: I thought the dish just had black buttons in it since it was next to a sewing machine. It would seem like an odd place to keep the old shotgun pellets he was shot with, and they also looked too big to be shotgun pellets. I'm not a gun person though so I wouldn't really know.

[–] jsmallsocks 9 years ago

6. The lettuce falling on the floor, all crispy and cold, shaking water droplets as it hits the ground. I know it has so much deeper meaning, but that scene is gorgeous.

And when Devon ties all the red ribbons to the trees. Trent falls on his back from the tree, looking straight up at all the ribbons blowing. It was beautiful.

[–] willywonka35 8 years ago

This film is incredible. Instead of flying under the radar it deserved an Oscar nomination....Best Film and maybe actress for Mischa. Crazy how her career turned out. Hung out with the wrong crowd, become fodder for tabloids, and mainly is in B movies now.

Watching this you sense the next Natalie Portman on the horizon.

[–] thenicotinefairy 8 years ago

Even more important parallel.

When the parents think Trent has done something to her
1) She starts the conversation saying "He didn't hurt me."
2) The dad assures her no one will blame her.
3) Then they prompt her to keep talking until they can interpret something she says to mean he actually did hurt her.

When she talks about what Brett did
1) She starts the conversation saying Brett molested her.
2) The dad immediately barks back "Oh so you let him put your hand up your shirt," clearly blaming her.
3) Then they prompt her to keep talking until they can interpret something she says to mean he didn't actually hurt her.

Also, maybe too obvious to point out, but:
Trent gets blamed for everything that goes wrong in the neighbourhood from the missing lampshades to the broken CD's, without a shred of evidence. But when someone has clearly attacked Trent and put sugar in his tank, the guard just responds with "How did you manage that?" It's a complete non-issue that someone has done something Trent.

[–] May (8) 2 years ago

I saw a version where, when Devon ascended the steps of the fabricated Keller friend and watched her gullible mom drive off, she was off like a bullet and doffelbagged enough for a week at Trent's; simultaneously we hear the lyrics as a song called "Doctor's Orders" is performed (last line being, 'I miss MY MAN!).....