Buddy (2018)

Directed by: Heddy Honigmann | 86 minutes | documentary

Dogs have long been regarded as man’s best friends. Not so strange, because the social animals understand the art of reading human emotions and entering into a full and friendly relationship with us. In ‘Buddy’, filmmaker Heddy Honigmann follows six people and their assistance dogs. The term service dog here has a much broader meaning than just guide dogs for the blind (although guide dogs also pass by), nevertheless the service dog that most people will think of first. ‘Buddy’ shows that dogs can be an indispensable support for people in need in various ways. For example, we meet the endearing labradoodle Kaiko, who helps his wheelchair-bound mistress Erna with a wide range of daily activities and chores that most people take for granted, such as shopping, opening kitchen drawers, collecting prints from the printer, taking off clothes and even turning over in bed.

Or what about Mister, the smart and alert dog of the ex-soldier Trevor, who was tormented by a post-traumatic stress disorder and physical malheur. Mister is perfectly able to understand his master’s mental state and keeps an eye on the environment behind and around Trevor on the street, a bit like soldiers backing each other in the heat of battle. We also learn that Trevor only really talks to Mister about the horrors and powerlessness he experienced as a soldier in Afghanistan and “somewhere in Europe” (where he saw women being raped and men murdered without being able to intervene). ) has experienced. In addition, the dog wakes Trevor when the veteran threatens to be stricken with terrible nightmares at night. Or take the blind psychologist Hans Dekker, who explains beautifully why the bond he has with his black labrador Missy is so close and special.

The strength of ‘Buddy’ is that Heddy Honigmann succeeds excellently in bringing the unique story behind each person into the limelight in an understanding and respectful way. She has clearly succeeded in building a bond of trust with the people portrayed, so that the intense connection between man and dog becomes tangible for the viewer. The patient manner in which Honigmann allows the human protagonists to tell their story, coupled with penetrating close-ups of the dogs, reinforces the trusting relationship shown between humans and animals, and also ensures that the characterful dogs really become the main protagonists in the film.
While it is both a noble endeavor and a logical choice to show multiple and diverse examples of service dogs and their owners, it is sometimes unfortunate that some human-dog partnerships are not covered in more detail. There are cases among them that in themselves offer almost enough material for a complete documentary. The stories of Trevor/Mister and the adventures of the autistic boy Zeb and his faithful buddy Utah are good examples of this.

The aforementioned compactness does not alter the fact that ‘Buddy’ is a heartwarming documentary. A film that probably even non-dog fans will have a soft spot for the faithful four-legged friends who give people in need a more bearable and pleasant existence.