Can a dog’s bark be worse than its bite? Judging by Dogman’s opening scene, the answer is an all-capital YES.

Director Matteo Garonne kicks off his film focused on a menacing-looking dog. Each thundering bark explodes out of its mouth like a bomb blast. It’s enough to make you shrivel in your seat. Just out of reach stands a man calmly grooming the animal. He doesn’t so much as flinch at its outbursts. He’s dealt with this dog’s threats for so long that he stopped noticing them.

Swap the dog out for a politician and the dog’s barking for twitter, and Garonne’s message comes into focus. Dogman is about bullying, intimidation, and acquiescence. This film takes us on a crime-ridden journey to examine the lengths we’re willing to go to avoid confrontation.

Marcello (Marcello Fonte) owns a shop where he takes care of people’s dogs. He spends most of his time clipping dog nails and taking part in grooming competitions with his young daughter. His kind, patient, and soft-spoken demeanour make him perfect for this line of work. You wouldn’t suspect that Marcello also runs with a sketchy crowd where he stockpiles drugs and drives the getaway vehicles during burglaries. It’s amusing watching this simple-looking man lead such a complicated life. And does Marcello’s life ever get complicated.

Marcello spends too much time around Simoncino (Edoardo Pesce), the neighbourhood’s resident asshole. Simoncino, an intimidating brute of a man, looks like a Double Dragon boss character. The man also doesn’t understand the word no. He gets off on bullying, teasing, and trolling the locals and often drags Marcello into his drug-fuelled debauchery. When one of Simoncino’s criminal escapades doesn’t go as planned, the evidence leads back to Marcello. Fingered for a crime and facing the consequences, Marcello decides to toughen up and confront Simoncino.

Fonte puts on one hell of a performance. He’s the only character we follow through the whole film and Dogman hangs on his performance. I’m fascinated by his screen presence, which reminds me of Steve Buscemi (an all-time he’s tougher-than-he-looks guy). While Marcello’s face says pushover, darker layers exist a shade below his surface.

Marcello doesn’t walk across the screen so much as bumble. And his tiny frame looks like it would flutter away if someone slammed a door. I’m shocked that his small daughter doesn’t bully him around too. Which makes it so remarkable when the character goes to some dark places. If you’ve followed director Garonne’s career, it’s no surprise that Marcello breaks bad – this filmmaker loves exploring gritty crime stories). What’s most compelling about Marcello’s turn is the way it depicts hatred and resentment manifesting in such a wishy-washy man.

Dogman shows us what happens to people who compromise their values. Marcello isn’t suited for a life of crime, and you get the sense he’s not in it for the quick cash. When illicit opportunities come his way, he isn’t brave enough to say no. Proper crooks smell Marcello’s weakness and force him into bad situations. His “friends” bully him into committing crimes, and in the end, he always gets stiffed.

In theory, there is a clear line between doing the right thing and the wrong thing. But real life often blurs those lines. Marcello’s life will fall into ruin if he doesn’t stand up for himself, but Garonne makes us get why he doesn’t.

Saying no can be difficult and alienating. But choosing to remain silent emboldens the vile people that we oppose. It’s like letting a racist or homophobic statement slide at a family dinner. Not calling out that language normalizes is it for the person saying it and the people hearing it. Dogman hangs back and offers a front row seat to his moral degradation.

On the surface, Dogman is about a man who takes care of dogs, sure. It’s also about a sidekick who’s loyal to a fault. But at its core, this film is about bullies, and the ways people cave to their will and normalize their behaviour. Bullies prefer to take the path of least resistance, and it’s up to us those with the moral high ground to push back against them every step of the way.