Two former Army Rangers are paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois), race down the Pacific Coast to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time.
Channing Tatum stars as Briggs, a discharged Army Ranger looking to get back on rotation. He is tasked with delivering Lulu, a Belgian Malinois dog, to his friend’s funeral. However, Lulu is considered dangerous after her time in the Army and always manages to find trouble during the road trip to her owner’s funeral.
Usually, I do not seek out movies about dogs. I don’t have anything against them, I just find them to be clichéd. And “Dog” is clichéd, sure, but I also had a good time watching this film. Movies about army dogs usually begin with them being trained, bonding with their owner, and their heroics in combat. “Dog” is a bit different as the two main characters are retired. They are both sad, angry, and lost.
I do admire how the movie delves into trauma in K9s. Like Briggs, Lulu has PTSD. She is sensitive to noises, does not like being touched on her ears, and can be very aggressive. She lost her owner, and no one else understands or knows how to take care of her. I was actually very impressed with the dogs that played Lulu. Lulu could be menacing, but also very sweet and I give kudos to the dog handlers.
Some of the misadventures that go on in this film are a bit absurd. You will have to suspend your disbelief but these misadventures provide ample bonding time between Briggs and Lulu. But with how many stops are made on this road trip, there is no way these two would actually make it to the funeral on time.
Tatum is charming in the lead role. He is funny when required and dramatic when necessary. His character is very obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I believed in the bond between Lulu and him. This is also Tatum’s directorial debut, though he is not the sole director of this film, Reid Carolin co-directs. I won’t say there was anything particularly noteworthy about the direction, but there were some beautiful landscape shots throughout the film. The lackluster title of the film aside, I found “Dog” to be a nice time at the movies. The film is heartfelt and highlights how important a relationship can be between a man and his dog.
Now available on Digital HD, and on Blu-ray™ and DVD May 10th
