Year of The Dog film review

certificate_PG

YEAR OF THE DOG

Mike White, whose offbeat comedic writing has been behind such films as Chuck & Buck and Nacho Libre, makes his directing debut with the equally quirky and sweet Year Of The Dog, for which he also wrote the screenplay. Filled with socially awkward and obsessive people, its humour, which is abundant, comes from their eccentricities, clumsy exchanges and contrasting personalities.

There's Peggy (Molly Shannon), a middle-aged spinster whose empty life centres on her precious dog Pencil, her gauche neighbour Al (John C. Reilly), a keen hunter whose ultimate prize would be to bag an endangered species, "before they all run out." Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) is an animal shelter worker who grew up in a cult and has dreams of being raped by two bull mastiffs, while Layla (Regina King) Peggy's irrepressible, effervescent co-worker, is desperate to get married to her philandering boyfriend. In addition, there's Peggy's sister-in-law Bret (Laura Dern), an obsessively over-protective parent, and Peggy's nerdy workaholic boss Robin (an hilarious Josh Pais).

Although all the characters are rich material for the picking, Year Of The Dog focuses on the insipid Peggy whose meticulously well-ordered world is turned upside down following the death of her beloved Pencil. As an act of compassion, her neighbour Al invites her out on a rare date, but when he proudly shows off his knife collection and talks of his hunting exploits, she begins to suspect he was involved in the poisoning death of Pencil. A call from Newt at the animal shelter results in Peggy adopting Valentine, a psychotic Alsatian, much to the exasperation of Layla. "How you ever going to get a boyfriend if you keep shacking up with dogs," she exclaims.

Peggy becomes attracted to Newt when he helps train Valentine, but when she finally plucks up the courage to make a pass at him he rebuffs her, explaining enigmatically, "I'm not able to be in a relationship." Having already declared, "I've always been disappointed by people," Peggy becomes increasingly devoted to animals, beginning by turning vegan and ultimately becoming an impassioned animal rights activist.

In addition to accenting the virtues of man's best friend, Year Of The Dog also carries a strong and persuasive message about animal cruelty, one exemplified when Peggy takes her traumatized young niece and nephew to a battery hen farm. It would be an insensitive soul who would come away from this film and then chow down on a hamburger.