Written and directed by Colin Henning, ‘Appalachian Dog’ is a 2025 period drama that stars Georgia Morgan, Colin Henning and Brooke Elizabeth.
The film tells a moving tale of a post-War reunion in the deep, lonely, Appalachian Mountains. A tailor husband, Teddy, and his seamstress wife, Marion are having trouble keeping their marriage afloat. Their former relationship lies lost somewhere in the five years that have passed, but they share one common, unspoken, interest: to build a future. As they realize the monumental difficulty of doing so, they are forced to confront a stark reality; it’s not only life that has changed: they have changed.
With ‘Appalachian Dog’, Colin Henning has made a film that excels in human drama as much as it does in the other realms. Henning draws up authentic characters that feel emotionally heavy with actions that have real life consequences. There is an originality to it all, one that takes the story in unexpected places.
As Henning’s feature directorial debut, the film is extremely impressive. From narrative heft to the plotting, Henning pours love and care into the story and the result is fantastic. Not only does Henning manage to extract great performances from his cast, he succeeds in creating a film that says something about how fragile and complex we all are at our core.
Speaking of the direction, it is both earnest and impressive. Writers who direct their own films have a special connection to the source material since they know it inside out. Therefore, it is easy for them to transform their screenplay into a feature. This creative advantage is lost when a different individual writes and directs as some aspects of the story are certain to be lost in translation. This, I feel, is exactly why Henning chose to direct his script as well; there was nobody better to direct the script than Henning himself. Henning takes the gargantuan task head on and delivers a film that is exactly what the script deems necessary.
The acting by the cast, particularly Georgia Morgan as Marion Henry and Colin Henning as Teddy Henry, is superb. Morgan dives into the role of her life with ease and manages to steal the spotlight away from everyone else. She is broken, hopeless, passionate and fiery all rolled into one and she will stop at nothing to get what she desires. Going toe to toe with her is onscreen beau Colin and together, the two elevate the film in ways that are unexpected. The rest of the cast manage to deliver their very best as well, helping to elevate the writing through their nuanced performance.
Also impressive is the beautiful cinematography that breathes new life into the story. From dimly lit interiors that harken back to a time before electricity to lush, vibrant outdoors that do justice to the place where the film is set, Appalachian Dog is an absolute treat for the eyes.
The musical score is absolutely beautiful, helping set the exact tone for the entire film. The low notes work their magic as the story picks up pace, imbuing flavour and depth into the twists and turns that lie ahead. Coupled with the gorgeous imagery that makes up the film, the music is sublime and a key part of what makes the production tick.
In addition, the sound mixing and sound editing are also good. Despite being a ‘supposedly slow’ drama, the ninety minute runtime whizzes by courtesy of the fantastic editing and narrative pacing. Henning chooses to move the story as he sees fit, fully realising that any attempt to tamper with the drama might grind the narrative into an inescapable halt which would negatively affect the unfolding of the main story. Thus, Colin Henning’s Appalachian Dog is a fantastic film that succeeds in more ways than one. From its story to its visuals, this film has been made with so much love and care that you cannot help but be impressed by it all.
