Prolific indie filmmaker Brett William Mauser tackles a life of crime in his dramatic actioner Dawgz Life. The epic 2-hour and 24-minute runtime follows Will (Michael Ochotorena), a small-time thug working for a drug cartel somewhere in south Texas. He spends his days roughing up or killing those who dare encroach on his turf. The only light in his life is Sara (Stormy Lopez), who he loves dearly. But after setting a rival drug lord on fire to prove himself to his boss, Sara leaves Will as she sees he won’t, or cannot, change his violent ways.
Years later, Will runs into Sara randomly at a convenience store. They spend time catching up, and she talks about her husband and daughter. This chance meeting makes Will question what the life he leads has given him. Soon, he decides that he must protect everyone he cares about, but once in the cartel, there are but a few choices of how to leave.
Dawgz Life is far more comedic than expected. Seriously, the first 20 or so minutes have a good deal of humor. This is a fun way to start the story, as it gets very heavy as it progresses. The relationship between Will and Sara is very believable and grounds a lot of the leads’ decisions. The meeting all that time later works as the very thing that makes Will question what he’s doing. It is all engaging and handled very well.
“…after setting a rival drug lord on fire to prove himself to his boss, Sara leaves Will…”
The action is also quite good. There’s a shootout nearly 50 minutes in that is very well staged. The blocking of the actors makes it easy to follow everything happening. While the C.G.I. gun muzzle flashes are distracting a bit, the smoothness of the camera movements and editing allows for an exciting and memorable sequence.
Ochotorena makes Will an intriguing figure. He’s likable yet does heinous acts he barely questions until much later on. Lopez is beguiling and charming, so it is no wonder Will cannot move on from her. Keekee Suki plays an important character named Tony, and he’s hilarious. The drug cartel leader’s right-hand person, Gloria, is portrayed by Medusa Villanueva. She’s badass, calm, collected, and terrifying.
Dawgz Life is long, and some scenes do go on a bit past what’s necessary. But a lot is going on, and Mauser explores some profound themes. The cast is great, and they sell their arcs believably. Starting with a lot of comedy eases all watching into the world, so once the drama kicks into high gear, it comes as a surprise gut punch. Brett William Mauser keeps improving film after film and, as such, should be celebrated for how he’s keeping the indie cinematic spirit alive.
For more information about Dawgz Life, visit the Not So Sane Films site.
"…Mauser explores some profound themes."
