In this gritty crime thriller, brutal gangland boss Darius Deel has more control over the back streets underworld of London than the Queen of England. When he discovers his new, young, Russian trophy-wife, Nadia, is having an affair with a small-time hood named Riley, he hunts down her lover, issues a grim ultimatum ... and a deadly game begins.

Isle of Dogs is a taut thriller, the tale of a kept woman, struggling between her criminal husband and a young lover.

That's as much spoiler as you'll get in this review because I would hate to ruin even one of the reveals, which come fast (get your popcorn beforehand) and, just when you think it's out of surprises, think again.

(And again.)

A well-crafted crime-thriller, Isle of Dogs' narrative is smooth, tantalizing as the pieces come together and the drama builds. Rather than abusing non-linear techniques as a gimmick, it uses them to accent the narrative, giving the viewer WHAT they need to know WHEN they need to know it.

Fans of early Brain Michael Bendis' comics (Jinx, Torso, Goldfish) will certainly get this film, which is paced, and unravels, more like a classic Eastwood western than a contemporary lime-y-crime. And it's foolish to compare this film to a Guy Ritchie shoot-em-up just because of the locale. While it packs PLENTY of action and some marvelously grotesque shocks, there is a depth of character and tragedy here that goes well beyond the standard cockney-crime offering.

(And again.) (sorry, another unexpected, awesome reveal)

Sutton is clearly an actor's director, giving her cast the freedom to breathe, to spit (!), and to turn in stellar, layered performances. Edward Hogg, Barbara, Nedeljakova, and especially Andrew Howard are all performers who own their camera time and Sutton is gifted enough to capture the nuances that might otherwise be lost. Her direction makes even the most mundane of events intriguing, sometimes juxtaposing an almost Kubrikian stillness of camera with scenes of dramatic, sweeping motion. She frames shots for impact and knows how to capture moments for their chill factor. (I'll personally never forget the body dragged past the doorway in her film, Sutures).

From the title (a subtle metaphor for loyalty and captivity), to Worman's score (eerie with f'n' attitude), this film hooked me all the way through and, several times, had me shouting out loud.