Taking place over one night in Casablanca, it follows Hassan and Issam, an impoverished father-son duo, as they attempt to dispose of a body after a botched kidnapping.

The film features non-professional actors, including Abdellatif Masstouri as Hassan and Ayoub Elaïd as Issam, chosen for their authentic portrayal of characters reflecting the underworld milieu.

Critics praised the film for its atmospheric storytelling and authentic performances, though some noted critiques regarding narrative coherence and pacing.

Despite Issam's insistence that both methods would not work, they then attempt to hide the body in a shallow well filled with rocks and also try digging a hole in the countryside before being caught and chased.

In a desperate move, the duo head back to the city after a close encounter at a police roadblock to enlist a friend of Hassan's, an old, drunk fisherman, to dump the body in the ocean, but he falls into the water himself, leaving them with the corpse and an even guiltier conscience.

Like many North African filmmakers, Lazraq cast non-professional actors to try to achieve an authentic and raw portrayal of the community in which he set the story.

[2] The choice to focus on a father and son in Hounds was influenced by Lazraq's experience working with non-professional actors who shared their life stories.

They had shared stories about taking on risky jobs and getting trapped in downward spirals, which reminded Lazraq of Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves.

In an interview by Tarik Khaldi for Cannes, Lazraq recalls how they discovered the actors who would play the lead roles in the film:I noticed Ayoub Elaïd (Issam, the son) in a photo.

Due to the impracticality of requesting multiple takes or adhering to specific marks, they had to continuously adapt to the performances of the actors, which led them to film the movie handheld.

[18][19] In blending influences for Hounds, Lazraq drew from neo-realism, citing films like Bicycle Thieves and Pasolini's Accattone for their portrayal of lost characters navigating city suburbs.

[20] Lazraq sought to portray this dynamic but also show a tipping point where the son takes control, leading to a reversal in their roles halfway through the film.

Lazraq highlights the intention to depict how an excess of masculinity can lead to animalistic behavior, as illustrated by the metaphor of the dogfight and the strong resurgence of "beastliness" throughout the film.

[8] Guy Lodge of Variety writes that "Kamal Lazraq's father-son crime story is assured and energetic, but stops short of the raucous farce it could have been."

Despite this, Lodge finds the film to be a "notably punchy debut" with a strong sense of place, describing it as "both visceral and confidently cavalier in its depiction of everyday underworld brutality.

Mintzer also compliments the film's bleak portrayal of Casablanca's underbelly, highlighting how every interaction reflects the struggle to survive in a city with limited opportunities.

[12] The New Arab's Hanna Flint writes that the film is a "tightly-delivered, evenly-paced cinematic skirmish into the underbelly of Moroccan society with admirable performances glueing it together".

[19] Writing for Cineuropa, Davide Abbatescianni praised the film for what he considered to be an effective portrayal of events over the course of one night, creating a fast-paced narrative that evokes a sense of danger and fear for the lead characters.

He drew parallels between Lazraq's narrative and the sequences in Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas, while commending his effective use of Moroccan settings and "well-placed gallows humour," emphasizing their contribution to the film's originality.

Despite acknowledging what he sees as director Kamal Lazraq's strengths in creating mood and using striking locations, Jenkins concludes that the film starts off promisingly but falters with a disjointed middle and a "silly ending".

[24] Charlotte O'Sullivan of The Guardian rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, commenting that it is "good-looking but uneven", and acknowledging that the tension often flags despite strong performances, particularly from Abdellatif Masstouri.