Heart of a Dog

Heart of a Dog

What do you see when you close your eyes?

Directed by Laurie Anderson

Produced by Canal Street Communications, HBO Documentary Films

201575 min6.5 / 10

An intimate, meditative essay film that weaves grief, memory, and philosophical inquiry into a lyrical meditation on loss and impermanence.

Lyrical and powerfully personal essay film that reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, her beloved dog, and such diverse subjects as family memories, surveillance, and Buddhist teachings.

Keywords

Questions people ask

  • Is Heart of a Dog sad? Yes, very. More sad than 98% of films.

  • Is Heart of a Dog violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Is Heart of a Dog scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 65% of films.

  • Is Heart of a Dog easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

  • Does Heart of a Dog end with hope? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

47/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity95

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise17

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love45

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Heart of a Dog

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Heart of a Dog

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Heart of a Dog, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Heart of a Dog, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Heart of a Dog, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

Share thisXBlueskyReddit