The "Dude" is back. And with a dog. Jeff Bridges plays a struggling, middle-aged writer (Jon Katz) who of course has writers block, adopts an abused border collie. Another "crazy dog" who's hijinks resemble Marley from "Marley and Me." The dog is seemingly untrainable. Par for the course. Katz already has two wonderfully mannered labs. So why is Katz to blame for his so-called anger with the collie? Who wouldn't be frustrated. But as the wise old dog whisperer told Katz, it's not all about the dog, but Katz and his inner anger. Okay, well, I didn't see Katz or Bridges playing someone who was particularly nasty. But what to do about the writer's block? Then comes the cliché epiphany. Write about his experience with the collie. Viola! I like Bridges. Who doesn't. But this movie plodded along with the same "bad dog" gags one has seen a thousand times. And of course, there's redemption, as dog accepts man and vice versa. And all is well in the world. Not the greatest dog movie around. If it wasn't for Jeff Bridges, I wouldn't have kept watching.
Review of A Dog Year
A Dog Year
(2009)
Burned out, middle-aged man finds himself. Though a dog.
15 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers