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Dog Days is all you expect it to be. Simple, a bit emotional, comical, and good for when you have nothing better to do.
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| Director(s) | Ken Marino | |
| Screenplay By | Erica Oyama, Elissa Matsueda | |
| Date Released | 8/8/2018 | |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Drama | |
| Good If You Like | Dogs
Multiple, Loosely Connected, Narratives Simple Romance Stories One Good Story and A Bunch of Generic Ones |
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| Actors Introduced | ||
| Elizabeth | Nina Dobrev | |
| Jimmy | Tone Bell | |
| Tara | Vanessa Hudgens | |
| Garrett | Jon Bass | |
| Grace | Eva Longoria | |
| Kurt | Rob Corddry | |
| Walter | Ron Cephas Jones | |
| Amelia | Elizabeth Phoenix Caro | |
| Tyler | Finn Wolfhard | |
| Greg | Thomas Lennon | |
| Ruth | Jessica St. Clair | |
| Dax | Adam Pally | |
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Summary
At the heart of each story is a dog. For Elizabeth, her dog helps her to learn her last boyfriend was cheating on her and helps her discover her next boyfriend, Jimmy. While that happens, Tara discovers a dog in the back of the coffee shop she works at which leads her to meeting Garrett. Someone who owns a rescue that not only provides a home for the dog but leads Tara to finding a means to use her degree, as well as a boyfriend.
It doesn’t end there, however. There are also interconnected stories, thanks to a dog. One being Grace and Kurt who find a man named Walter’s dog. Thanks to his dog, Mabel, their adopted daughter Amelia opens up. However, as she opens up, her dog’s former owner sort of shuts down a bit. Since Mabel is the only thing, outside of a house and car, which remains of his recently deceased wife. So, this pizza delivery kid, who kind of caused Mable to run away, Tyler, helps reunite them. Though, in the long run, Walter decides it might just be best to open his home to a whole slew of dogs – thus helping Garrett out immensely.
Leaving one last dog to note: Charlie. He is a loud and rambunctious pet whose owners, Greg and Ruth, just can’t deal with him because Ruth is delivering twins. Making it where she needs her brother Dax, who is heavily reliant on them, to take care of him for a few days. Thus forcing him to learn responsibility yet not fully maturing.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- What did Walter’s wife die of? Much less, Tyler’s dad?
Highlights
The Grace, Kurt, and Amelia Storyline (Featuring Walter and Tyler)
There is something about the Grace and etc storyline which seems out of place with this film. For while there is Elizabeth who got cheated on, Ruth who is dealing with a lot on her plate, and Tara learning sometimes the hot guy isn’t the match for you, those storylines are simple. They work for a movie which has a split focus. When it comes to the Grace, Kurt, and Amelia storyline, however, you get the sole storyline which feels like a standalone picture.
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Reason being, while it isn’t clear why Grace and Kurt can’t have biological kids, nor why Amelia was available for adoption, you instantly want to root for this clan. Especially since Amelia comes off very reserved and quiet when she is first in her new parents’ household. Yet, when she opens up with Mable, and Grace feels like things are getting better, or will get better, it tugs on your heart strings a bit.
And no sooner do you fall in love with this family which is becoming solid, you got Walter telling Tyler about how Mable is all that remains of his wife, Addie. Someone who died about 3 years ago and with no signs they had kids or anything, Mable is the closest thing. So with that being in place, you feel torn. This dog means so much for both parties, in terms of having a sense of family. Making it where, when Walter decides to let Amelia have Mable, it hurts in a way. Yet, considering, until Tyler, Walter didn’t get out much, and so Mable was getting chubby, in a way, you understood that he wasn’t being a good owner to her anymore.
On The Fence
The Rest of the Stories
While there is nothing wrong with the rest of the stories, they are largely what you expect out of a movie like this. There are very basic, run of the mill love stories from Elizabeth and Tara. Dax is the deadbeat who usually is part of movies like this, who learns a lesson in the end, and while there is nothing wrong with any of their storylines, they are forgettable. Mostly because they come off like people we’ve seen countless times.
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Overall: Positive (Worth Seeing)
This is a nice feel-good movie. Something simple to see which may get you a little emotional but isn’t going to make you bawl your eyes out. It is just something to kick back on a boring Sunday, the day I happened to see this, and just relax.
Hence the positive label. While only one, technically two, of the stories of the movie really stand out, as long as you love dogs, and enjoy movies that don’t want to challenge your views or present some over the top, whirlwind, romance, you’ll like this. Does it compare well to A Dog’s Purpose or Marley & Me
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