Thumbnail image by Gioele Fazzeri from Pixabay
In the midst of so many movie offerings of graphic horror flicks, computer-generated extravaganzas and ear-shattering shoot-‘em-ups, it’s a relief to see a good, old-fashioned film about a dog. And that’s what’s coming our way this month. Its title is Dog. Yep. That’s it. Plain and simple. One word. Dog.
About “Dog”
What we have here is a buddy comedy—not one involving a pair of mismatched males but, in this case, a man and a female canine. Hunky Channing Tatum plays a troubled soldier named Briggs; his equally troubled Belgian Malinois companion is Lulu. Early on, Briggs is warned: “She won’t work with anyone. One minute she’s good, the next minute she sends three guys to the ER.”
The two, both former Army Rangers, are thrown together against their will. Before long, the disparate duo is racing down the Pacific Coast Highway in Briggs’s rattly old Ford Bronco in an attempt to arrive on time for the funeral of a fellow soldier, who at one time was Lulu’s handler.
Along the way, Briggs and Lulu narrowly avoid death, break a handful of laws and, in general, drive each other crazy, while each is unknowingly helping the other to make progress into solving long-buried, soul-crippling problems. Joining Tatum in this forthcoming cinema success are Jane Adams (Twin Peaks), Kevin Nash (John Wick) and Q’orianka Kilcher (Yellowstone).
Tatum co-directs (with Reid Carolin of Magic Mike fame) this delightful, heartfelt narrative about a most unusual creature and her human companion.
Together, the Tatum/Carolin team has issued this message: “Dog is a story that has been growing in our lives for years, so we’re deeply honored that [MGM chairman] Mike Deluca and MGM have chosen to help us bring it to life, and to support our first film as directors…We couldn’t be more excited to join forces with him and the entire team at MGM to share Dog with audiences everywhere.”
Appreciated by many fans as a lovable goofball, Channing adds, “If you would enjoy watching me get bit by a dog, this will be a very fulfilling and funny movie for you.”
Tatum and Carolin had worked together before, producing Deborah Scranton’s 2017 highly lauded non-fiction HBO documentary War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend, which explored the complex relationships that formed between U.S. Special Operations soldiers and the intrepid animals that served alongside them in combat.
Before you head out the door to enjoy this family-friendly offering (it’s rated PG – 13), you might want to grab a few tissues. And please, please hug your dog before you leave.
