Stray

Name: Stray
Genre: Documentary
Released: March 5, 2021
Duration: 72 min
Rating: 83

2021

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Universal acclaim based on 12 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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Stray

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Movie Details & Credits

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: March 5, 2021 | Not Rated

Summary: Stray explores what it means to live as a being without status or security, following three strays as they embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society. Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal, a shy puppyStray explores what it means to live as a being without status or security, following three strays as they embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society. Zeytin, fiercely independent, embarks on adventures through the city at night; Nazar, nurturing and protective, easily befriends the humans around her; while Kartal, a shy puppy living on the outskirts of a construction site, finds companions in the security guards who care for her. The strays’ disparate lives intersect when they each form intimate bonds with a group of young Syrians with whom they share the streets. … Expand

Director: Elizabeth Lo

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 72 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Jim Slotek

Mar 3, 2021

A day in the life of Zeytin is, for the most part, an agreeable experience that doubles as a dog’s-eye-view of humans. Read full review

Tomris Laffly

Jan 12, 2021

Throughout the mostly wordless “Stray,” we wonder with compassion and considerable self-critique whom the society uplifts and supports vs. whom it chooses to disregard and deem invisible. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Mar 4, 2021

The filmmaker's eyes may rarely leave the dogs, but what she’s really looking at is us. Read full review

Nikki Baughan

Jan 12, 2021

There’s something strangely beautiful about short filmmaker Elizabeth Lo’s concise, allegorical debut feature documentary, which starts off as a fly-on-the-fur exploration of Istanbul’s stray dog epidemic and becomes a lament about the difficulties of finding somewhere to belong in an increasingly fractured, and fractious, world. Read full review

The Guardian Leslie Felperin

Mar 23, 2021

At last, just what world cinema really needs right now: an exquisitely made film about street dogs in Istanbul, satiating that universal desire to see distant lands, coo over beautiful, noble animals, and satisfy the audience’s need to feel guilty about the misfortune of poorer, unluckier people. Read full review

Kimber Myers

Mar 4, 2021

Lo’s humane film helps us glimpse the lives of those who are often overlooked, whether they walk the streets of Istanbul on four legs or two. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Glenn Kenny

Mar 5, 2021

Lo wants to make a point, obviously, but I came out of this picture with some questions. And I also thought of an observation made by the music critic Robert Christgau, a metaphorical point addressing a type of artistic preciousness: “If I found a cat trapped in a washing machine, I wouldn't set up a recording studio there—I'd just open the door.” Read full review

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User Reviews

bertobellamy

Jun 18, 2021

This documentary lacks any discussion or conversation about the state of their canine subjects, but the way it portrays humanity through their eyes is enough to keep you watching. And just so you know, there's no animal suffering portrayed in here.

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batuhanchu

Sep 1, 2022

Wow... In the streets of Istanbul, you witness the life of Zeytin, Kartal and Nazar, as well as the natural moments of people. All I have to say about this impressive show is: "As it is."

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Mar 19, 2021

It's the kind of movie that makes you go **** about every 30 seconds. However, director Elizabeth Lo's debut documentary feature about the street dogs of Istanbul -- which are legally protected against euthanasia and illicit captivity -- diverges from its central narrative a little too much,It's the kind of movie that makes you go **** about every 30 seconds. However, director Elizabeth Lo's debut documentary feature about the street dogs of Istanbul -- which are legally protected against euthanasia and illicit captivity -- diverges from its central narrative a little too much, pursuing tangents that draw attention away from its principal subject. In particular, the film devotes considerable attention to the city's homeless refugee workers, an attempt to draw parallels between Istanbul's street people and their canine companions, an intriguing approach that, while interesting, comes across as somewhat unfocused. The film would have fared better if it had sought to do for the city's street dogs what "Kedi" (2016) did for its feral felines. If you're looking for a film loaded with loving footage of adorable pooches, "Stray" makes for a nice diversion. However, if you're searching for groundbreaking documentary filmmaking, this one misses the mark, despite seemingly good intentions.… Expand

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