NEW REVIEW: "Dog Days" (2018)

MRMOVIESETC REVIEWS:

“Dog Days” (2018)

I have a feeling the think tank sessions for this film went a little something like this:

“Ok, the studio says they need a new romantic comedy with dogs. They said Dennis Quaid and Josh Gad can’t have all the fun. We need multiple storylines so the audience can stay easily entertained. And GO!”

“An ex-professional athlete and a stiff morning show host bond and fall in love against the odds because their dogs play well together?”

“Excellent! What else?”

“A nerdy guy that loves dogs and runs a dog shelter makes a girl out of his league fall in love with him against all odds because she too loves dogs?”

“Alright, kind of a retread, but we’ll go with it. What next?”

“A teenage delivery boy and an older gentleman, whom start off as rivals, bond and form a friendship after the elderly gentleman’s beloved dog runs away and the boy vows to help get her back?”

“That will work. Keep going!”

“Said runaway dog ends up in the hands of an adopted girl whom is struggling to gel with her new adopted parents, and when she gets the dog, she instantly brightens up and inevitably creates a foreshadowed conflict that will make moms cry?”

“Damn. Sure, audiences love bittersweet feelings. That will be the worst of it, right?”

“No, one of the dogs will have to die.”

“Shit…”

“But we’ll have a Chihuahua wear a cute pink helmet with googly eyes for levity.”

“Great! Now let’s stop before you ‘Marley & Me’ this bitch.”

*** 

Sorry, but all you have to do is look at the promotional poster or watch the trailer to know that there isn’t a lot for me to review here. I had a little fun with it, sure, but that dialogue essentially is the plot of “Dog Days”. Yet, as predictable and paint-by-the-numbers as it is, somehow this cast, crew, and Director Ken Marino managed to salvage a solid, heartfelt, and damn funny movie.

Yeah, I’m pretty shocked, too. I keep going back over it in my head and I’m thinking that a film like this, on paper, looked like it was going to be way too long at almost two hours and was going to either crash and burn, or be mediocre at best. Perhaps this one benefited greatly from the fact that it’s not stockpiled with veteran actors and filmmakers looking to make an easy buck. A bulk of the performances and dialogue here are cheesy without a shadow of a doubt, but low and behold, it is amazing what can be accomplished when there is a genuine commitment on all sides to brush aside expectations and actually, gee, try. Hell, this film is trying to split screentime between four main narratives, and the editing and pacing is remarkably even. No actor or story really outshines the other, in a good way for a change, and despite a lack of any true character development, each transition from one storyline to the next and back again felt welcome.

Now, sure, I could knock it down a peg for taking no new chances, and for some reason, insisting on inserting these repeated one-off scenes involving a random meteorologist telling the same jokes over and over, except just a different delivery each time, which completely throws off the flow every time it came back. I don’t want to dwell on it too long, but let’s just say those bits were about as effective as the “Debbie Downer” skits from Saturday Night Live. I can already hear you groaning from here.

“Dog Days” is currently streaming on Hulu, and I would suggest checking it out. I can’t promise there will be a complete lack of eye-rolling or other such disapprovals from time-to-time – a film like this practically cannot exist without those – but you will also smile, laugh, and maybe even shed a tear or two. This one was an enjoyable watch and earns its praise.

“Dog Days”: 8/10