Director Matthew Slamowitz’s short film “Water Dogs” isn’t so much about the beauty of New York, but about good luck and learning to pay that luck forward. “Water Dogs” is a compelling and very entertaining short dramedy about a homeless man who gets the chance to make a life for himself when events occur that drops everything in to place before his eyes. The trick behind this odd good luck is how he’s going to choose to use it in the long run.
Bob Jaffe gives an excellent performance as the homeless man whose day changes when a stranger passes him by dropping a lottery ticket by accident. After scratching it, his reward is a mere dollar, which he uses to buy a hot dog. But when its vendor, a middle Eastern man, is taken in by government agents, the cart is left abandoned. Deciding to take the remaining food left inside, he’s mistaken for a vendor, and begins selling the hot dogs when he discovers the beer he dropped in to the water adds to the flavor.
Before long he’s the hit of New York, and he begins carefully trying to use his success in his favor without being discovered. “Water Dogs” is an exceptional film that pays homage to the charms of New York, all the while unfolding a classic tale of an underdog who manages to become a success by luck of the draw. Matthew Slamowitz’s direction is stellar with sharp editing that unfold the story of this man in a short time and still feels very complete in the end. We’re not sure where he’s going next, but we root for him to succeed even after the credits have closed. “Water Dogs” is a great slice of life dramedy that should be sought out, and I’m looking forward to seeing Matthew Slamowitz’s next project.