“Year of the Dog” was marketed as a romantic comedy, but neither of these elements are in the story enough to justify the label. Instead this film boils down to unsuccessful propaganda rather than entertainment. The main character unrealistically spirals out of control, going from her uneventful normal life to a pathetic, extreme existence. Even those people who are vegans or active supporters of PETA will feel this main character is an inaccurate and unhelpful characterization of their cause. This film was a major letdown from Mike White, the writer of “School of Rock” and was an overall unenjoyable experience.
Molly Shannon (formerly of TV’s “Saturday Night Live“) is Peggy, a pet owner who loves her dog, Pencil, more than anything. Her friends and family like her because she is a good listener and very thoughtful, but she doesn’t have any romantic prospects in the near future. When something happens to Pencil, Peggy must re-analyze her priorities, and decide what she wants out of this life and how she’s going to get it. Her best friend Layla (Regina King; “Ray“), is too caught up in her own romantic life to be of much help, and her sister-in-law Bret (Laura Dern; “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio“), is too busy sheltering her kids from everything. That is when the movie falls off the believability wagon and spirals into freak show territory.
The few bits of humor in the film are darker than what you would expect from the opening scenes. What seemed like a story of boy meets girl, turns into girl loses her mind and alienates everyone in her life. Why this would be entertaining to anyone should have been asked by director and writer White. Taking an idea to its’ extreme does not always lead to a comical situation. Such is the unfortunate case in this movie, where the more outrageous Peggy’s behavior becomes the less “Year of the Dog” resembles a comedy. Because of the extreme behaviors of the main character parents should be wary of allowing their children to watch this movie, despite its PG-13 rating.
If pet owners want to see a worthwhile comedy, making good-natured fun of them and their attachment to their animals, they should instead watch Christopher Guest‘s “Best in Show.” Viewing “Year of the Dog” will depress you for any number of reasons, which a comedy about the search for love should definitely not do. Regardless of the decent performances of the supporting actors, Shannon’s Peggy is too bizarre for the viewer to really connect with. This film is a real dog - for all the wrong reasons.
Rated PG-13 for some suggestive references.
