Groveport Messenger - August 27th, 2023

PAGE 12 - GROVEPORT MESSENGER - August 27, 2023
GriefShare support group
Groveport United Methodist Church, 512 Main St., sponsors a
GriefShare group commencing Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.Register online at
https://www.griefshare.org/groups/168784. If you have questions,
send an email to groveportgriefsharegroup@gmail.com.
Groveport Farmers Market
The Groveport Farmers Market will be held on Thursdays
through Sept. 7 from 4-6 p.m. in Heritage Park, 551 Wirt Road.
For information call 614-836-3333.
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“Strays”, a live-action movie featuring a group of
talking canines, feels as if it was written after someone
had experienced a particularly wild dream.
I can just imagine movie scribe Dan Perrault
pulling out his notebook while in that waking twilight
phase and jotting down broken thoughts such as:
naughty sentimental dogs? Good filthy mouth ones?
Talking dogs? Does mine speak? Am I still dreaming?
I think I have a movie idea? Would anyone like this
idea? I should pitch this idea to a studio. I should go
back to sleep…
Chances are if any screenwriter had walked into a
movie studio to pitch a potty-mouth talking dog premise
20 years ago, it would have been met with rowdy
laughs, a stamp of approval and a blank check to bring
this outlandish vision to life.
After all, that was still the era of the gross out comedy,
or even just the comedy, come to think of it. Over
the years, however, movie studios have practically
weaned these types of films out of existence in the theaters
due to an aversion to make mid-budget films that
they believe would not have mass appeal (read: bring
in the big bucks to fatten their wallets).
The one place where the movies have found a home
are on streaming services and their popularity has
made the traditional studios start to take notice once
again.
It should be noted that taking notice does not
amount to taking a risk (see the lack of comedies that
have been released in the theaters in the past decade)
but somehow screenwriter Dan Perrault (of “American
Vandal” television series acclaim) and director Josh
Greenbaum (of cult-classic “Barb and Star Go to Vista
Del Mar” fame) convinced Universal Pictures that
funding a movie about pottymouth
dogs who seek revenge on
those who have forsaken them
would be a good idea.
It turned out to be the right
one.
Although this movie is not
likely to tear up the box office, I
have to say that it was kind of
refreshing to see a comedy in a
similar vein as those of yesteryear.
To be sure, there are plenty
of tired and sophomoric jokes
that fill the screen but it has
that sort of weird charm that
makes you wince, makes you
cry, and makes you believe that
there is a beating heart buried
somewhere in the filth.
At the center of this
immensely weird but oddly
sweet movie is Reggie (voiced by
Will Ferrell), a mangy albeit
adorable border terrier who
loves everything about his life.
He loves getting to spend hours
outside, alone with his beloved
butterflies; he loves those few
brief seconds he gets on the
couch before being pushed off;
he loves all of the human food he
finds on the floor; and he
absolutely loves his human
Doug (played by Will Forte),
who he believes can do no
wrong.
One of Reggie’s favorite
things about Doug is his willingness
to play games, especially the
one called “Fetch and (Expletive)”
where his companion drives him
out to remote parts of the state,
launches his favorite toy, drives off
in his car, and is full of rage when
the smart little pooch somehow
makes his way back home. Sadly,
Reggie is oblivious to the horribleness
that is Doug but he cannot
help but love that nasty
human with his whole heart.
www.columbusmessenger.com
Potty-mouthed pooches fun to watch
One day, Doug finally manages to rid himself of the
poor border terrier and Reggie is left all alone, scared
in a strange city. Soon after, he meets up with a homeless
Boston terrier named Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx)
and his two friends, Maggie the Australian shepherd
(voiced by Isla Fisher) and Hunter the Great Dane
(voiced by Randall Park) who take him under their
wing.
Not only do they show him how to live on the
streets, but they also try to make Reggie see that the
human he so desperately wants to get back to wants
nothing to do with him.
Because Hunter is a therapy dog by trade — his
failed attempt at gaining entry to the police academy
is a running joke throughout the film — he tries to dole
out comfort to Reggie and work on his self-esteem so he
knows that he is absolutely not the bad boy Doug has
always said that he is.
But repetitive negativity has taken a toll on Reggie
and he soon comes to the conclusion that all this good
boy at heart wants to do is get revenge on the human
who could never manage to show him love — or even
the slightest bit of care.
If you have seen the trailers, then you’ve seen most
of the best gags that “Strays” has to offer — the surprise
twist on the sentimental narrator dog notwithstanding.
But even though the plot is predictable, and the
gags are sometimes obvious, the human and canine
cast elevates the material and gives “Strays” a surprisingly
huge amount of heart.
In fact, its best attribute is a fresh and relevant
take on abusive relationships as it has some genuinely
good insight and outlooks on these subjects. It came as
a shock that among all the chaos that happens in this
film, “Strays” still manages to make its emotional
story the centerpiece of the film.
For those who may be wondering about this take, I
should say that despite it being somewhat sad,
“Strays” is not “Marley and Me.” Although heartstrings
are pulled, it is not as emotionally manipulative
as that one — or most of the other animal tale
movies that are out there. Instead, it is a deeply silly
movie that lightly touches upon the sad reality of
unwanted or abandoned pets.
If anything, it will move the audience to be as kind
as they can to their pooches — and also serve as a
reminder to give some love to those who are not so fortunate.
After all, they may start to gang up on people and
exact revenge for not doing so.
Grade: B-
Reel Deal
Dedra
Cordle
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff writer and columnist.