Set in a small fictional town in the U.S. during the 1930s,
Lars von Trier's Dogville was filmed in a studio with a minimal set and features narration by
John Hurt. On the run from a group of gangsters, Grace (
Nicole Kidman) arrives in the small mining town of Dogville. Town philosopher Tom Edison (
Paul Bettany) takes her in and strikes a deal with her: She'll work for the townsfolk in exchange for a safe place to hide; after two weeks the people will vote for her to either stay or go. Grace agrees to the terms and ends up meeting the locals, including the town doctor (
Philip Baker Hall), shopkeeper (
Lauren Bacall), and apple farmer (
Stellan Skarsgård). Eventually, Grace's standing in the town takes a downward shift as the search for her intensifies. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide