What's amazing on the site is that this movie retains a rather important following..for a French movie almost unknown in its native country.I wonder whether there is one single French comment among the -rather numerous- lot.Jerome Boivin made ,outside TV work, only one movie I haven't seen yet after "Baxter".And on the site,it has not got the same reputation,by a long shot.
It's really a shame M.Boivin could not pursue a career that was promising."Baxter" is imperfect ,not always convincing,particularly before the cherubic-boy-with-a-dark-side appears.But,and this is crucial,it is a demanding,harsh and unique work,completely different of what French directors usually do."Heavenly creatures" which featured Kate Winslet(not the Titanic side) comes to mind.
The whole story is told by the dog in voice-off:its monologue is strange indeed.The animal 's looking for a human(?) being who knows neither love nor fear.He fails with the old lady and the young couple(the scenes with the baby are impressive ,with echoes of Richard Matheson's short story "I monster" in the words of the dog.)Then THE boy appears:he's fascinated by Hitler and Eva Braun:we will never know why:it seems he found some old nazi papers in the garbage dump.But his family is totally harmless,the father(played by Jacques Spiesser,the only known actor of the cast:he was featured in JJ annaud's first effort "black and white and in colors"-"la victoire en chantant"-,an AA winner) is a bit listless but he seems to be a good man:it's apparently not the father figure this vicious son dreams of..When the dog and the boy meet,tragedy is round the corner.And don't expect a happy end :the boy's last thoughts will make your hair stand on end.
"Baxter" is definitely is a movie to remember.Not mommy's little boy then!