Year Of The Dog Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Has the world left you a stray?
Peggy is single, childless, in her 40s, a lonely executive assistant in a friendly office. Her dog Pencil is the love of her life, and when he dies after eating some sort of toxin, Peggy's life spins out of her control: a friendly neighbor invites her for dinner; a friendly staff member at her vet's calls with an abused dog he recommends she adopt - she does, and also finds herself attracted to this fellow. She becomes a vegan, supports animal-rights causes, and embroils her brother's young children in these concerns. Saving dogs and other animals become such a passion that her mental health and her job may be in danger. Are regaining control and finding love beyond her reach?
| Molly Shannon | Peggy |
| Laura Dern | Bret |
| Regina King | Layla |
| Thomas McCarthy | Pier |
| Josh Pais | Robin |
| John C. Reilly | Al |
| Peter Sarsgaard | Newt |
| Zoe Schlagel | Lissie |
| Dale Godboldo | Don |
| Inara George | Holly |
| Liza Weil | Trishelle |
| Jon Shere | Pound Employee |
| Christy Moore | AlÂ’s Girlfriend |
| Audrey Wasilewski | Audrey |
| Mike White |
6.30 out of 10 (397 votes)
Visitor Reviews
not worth it
posted on 11 Aug 2009I had heard a lot of good things about this movie and went with the intention of liking it - but it just didn't work for me. After reading the other reviews, I don't agree that this is a movie that PETA would love since it portrays an animal rights activist as an embezzling, slightly deranged loner who mistreats the dogs in her care and has no life, no friends, etc. Peggy didn't appeal to the dog lover in me either - she was the one who left her dog out all night, neglected to repair the hole in her fence, mistreated all the dogs she supposedly 'rescued'. I thought the other characters were more finely drawn and better portrayed as well, especially Laura Dern's Brett and Peter Saarsgard's Newt. Molly Shannon's acting ability seemed to be confined to keeping a fairly gruesome expression on her face - not much fun to look at for 90+ minutes - and it never changed whether she was sad, worried, concerned, happy.
why are people so reluctant to accept human imperfection?
posted on 03 Aug 2009I thought this movie had some interesting messages, although they were often quite subtle. I am rather amazed at how people don't get these messages. Frequently commentators here despise the leading characters for being social misfits, without a word against those other characters who really are depraved! Peggy has an incredible well of love inside her which simply lacks guidance until the end. Newt is a man who has dedicated his life to love (I mean true love, not carnal love), and someone calls him 'dysfunctional'?! It seems there is no respect for selflessness. Look at the carnality of Peggy's friend Layla and her even more depraved fiancé Don, the Scrooge-like avarice of her boss Robin, her boorish neighbor Al, her weak brother Pier and his proud and haughty wife Bret. The scene where Don, Layla and Peggy are eating out contains one of those messages. The disgusting way Don tears the flesh off the ribs reflects the way he devours the flesh of women in his lust. Yes, Peggy is full of suppressed zeal which appears to turn into psychosis. But this only shows her lack of purpose in life. That's kind of the point of the end. We all do wrong things, but they do not necessarily reflect a depraved character. That's the other point of the movie; the way her various friends begin to accept love in their lives (through adopting pets at Peggy's insistence) shows how they are also being redeemed. I don't believe killing animals for their meat is murder, even if White thinks so. It may not have been intentional, but the part where the disturbed dog Valentine kills Newt's pet Bunty shows that death is a part of this fallen world as much for animals as for humans. Note that, despite Newt's refusal to kill animals himself, he sends Valentine away to be put down; unlike Peggy, he sees his vegan, celibate lifestyle as a matter of duty and self-sacrifice, rather than the rather self-righteous moralistic belief that 'killing animals is murder', which Peggy seems to believe in. In that respect Peggy indeed seems to be at fault; she wants to express love but cannot, at least until the end perhaps, face the responsibility which Newt has accepted. As I said, I don't believe eating meat is murder (provided animals are treated kindly first), just as I don't believe sex is wrong, provided it is done with love and loyalty. It is, however, a result of a fallen world, and giving up meat, like giving up sex, is a way of redeeming the world, provided it is accompanied by love. If I had one major criticism to make of the film, it is perhaps the relentless focus on animals as the only ones capable of expressing love. True, the unreflective devotion of pets can be an image of perfect love on the outside, but since it does not come from free choice, it doesn't have the redeeming quality of human love. But I might be too harsh here, since one could argue that Peggy and Newt already fulfill that role. Despite Newt's belief that animal love is better than human, his own example proves otherwise (unlike Valentine, he can make the choice not to kill, and does so).
Cheering obsessive compulsive schizophrenia
posted on 30 Jul 2009Honestly, the first time I saw this movie, I assumed it was a dark comedy about how an obsession can destroy one's life. I love dogs, and even I got creeped out by Molly Shannon as Peggy less than halfway through the film. Instead of loving and appreciating dogs, Peggy instead obsesses about them, transforming dogs and other animals into replacements for family, friends, a job, and eventually her sanity.The worst part of the film, in my estimation, comes when her brother and sister-in-law leave her in charge of their kids for a holiday. Peggy terrorizes the older daughter by taking her to a slaughterhouse. After that, Peggy goes downhill quickly, attempting to murder her next-door neighbor and winds up getting briefly committed to a psych ward, then released into her brother's care.And yet, at the end of this dreary 97 minutes (which feels strangely like 127 minutes), the film celebrates Peggy's transformation as she happily leaves the job she got back in some sort of ridiculous miracle after embezzling funds from her boss, to join an animal-rights activist caravan to protest meat-eating everywhere. The film pretty much makes a good case for her continued commitment, a point of which the filmmakers seem laughably unaware.The film wastes a good performance by Peter Sarsgaard, one of the few recognizable humans in the film, and not-bad efforts by Regina King and John C. Reilly, who manages to sneak in some humanity into a role clearly designed to be a cardboard villain. It's a horrid film in almost every respect, and in the end a satire of clueless fanatics -- and the filmmakers who apparently love them.
what????
posted on 18 Jun 2009i am so sorry, and also i am the first one that critic the critics,because as everybody knows ,we all like different stuff,but just the get an idea,i watched from white chicks,to capote,to harry potter,and i never criticized anything,but come on!!,me and 5 people watched this movie,age range from 28 to 54,and we all agree,this movie is really bad,IMDb say is comedy and drama,i beg to differ,never smile,o yeah once,and drama?? no this movie is a movie that will waist your time and money,people that like it ,is because i think can identify with characters ,but hey if you can see yourself,go get help.........sorry people,this movie,for a lack of better words.....suck.
Finding direction, finding a purpose
posted on 06 Jun 2009To be honest, isn't everyone a little obsessed? Many characters in Year of the Dog have their own obsessions, their own ways of giving meaning or purpose to their lives.The hunting neighbor is obsessed with his knife collection and his hunting fantasies. Peggy's sister is obsessed with her children. Her friend is obsessed with man-hunting and dating.But Peggy lacks direction to her life. It's a plain vanilla existence for her, until a shattering event happens in her dull little world of routine.Peggy's world expands, and she considers many things previously unknown to her.She tries on new ideas, and in her own way finds her own "obsession" that also is less selfish than the paths chosen by others around her.People who are unexcited by a purpose are pretty dull, but if we need to find something to give our lives direction and substance, why not choose an interest that helps others, including animals? Mike White has created a movie touches on a subject that many people experience, but few films cover.It's a gem!
No anchor, no clear point of view!
posted on 09 May 2009Is the main character in Year of the Dog a pathetic woman who is pushed over the edge into animal rights lunacy by the terrible death of her beloved Pencil? Or is she someone who has a moral awakening (in part occasioned by the terrible death of her beloved Pencil) and finds meaning in her life by answering the call of working for justice for all creatures? Was Peggy crazy or justified in taking the kids to Paradise Farm? Are we supposed to identify with Peggy's brother and sister-in-law or find them repellently conventional and small minded? Do we think it was morally justified for Peggy to contribute her boss's (or the company's) money to animal rights causes, or did she steal from him/them? Is PETA's work laughably extremist or bravely activist? I would suggest that it makes no sense to answer any of these questions with "Both," and that the movie, sadly, provides support for both possible answers. The result is not a sensitivity to moral complexity, but downright inconsistency and confusion, and a basic lack of a guiding moral perspective or message.
I din't like this movie much. Hard to identify with its reason for existing.
posted on 09 May 2009This is a story about an apparently lonely woman who is always smiling and cheery at work, not assertive with her boss, always accommodating for her brother and his wife, especially to babysit, and happens to have a dog named Pencil that she is strongly attached to. When Pencil turns up dead, her world begins a slow turn upside down.Molly Shannon is good in a serious role as the grinning Peggy. Thomas McCarthy is her married brother Pier, and Laura Dern is the sister in law Bret.Josh Pais is her supervisor Robin, while Regina King is her co-worker Layla .John C. Reilly is her next door neighbor Al, who loves to hunt and has heads of stuffed animals in his home. Plus a nice knife collection.Peter Sarsgaard is Newt, the slightly off-center animal lover.One problem I have with this movie is all the characters are strange, and not by just a little bit. Peggy loses her dog and all the choices she makes after that don't seem very sensible. And maybe that was the point, but it did not come off as very interesting to me.
Depressing Movie
posted on 03 Apr 2009I know others liked this movie, but this was a depressing movie. I felt Peggy was so unstable and needed some mental health care help. This is truly a woman that has no life and then gets so obsessed she seems ready for a rubber room. I love animals, but this movie shows how some people can get so unhealthily obsessed with things that it controls their whole life. Molly did a good job of acting and playing this poor pathetic character. But, she is so unstable that not only does she become a danger to herself, but others, too. This just wasn't an enjoyable movie. This shouldn't be in the comedy category, it's mostly drama. This was our Saturday night date movie, so really put a damper on the whole night.
Animal Guardians and Social Misfits
posted on 10 Mar 2009Year of the Dog had potential in its storyline until it took a tired path about animal guardians - that they are over-the-edge oddballs unable to connect with humans. I am a long-time animal guardian with multiple animals and many human friends, not all of whom as as dog-happy as I am. As the film progressed, there were inaccuracies in character development as the story persisted in showing us a cliché. The main character didn't fit in but this film erroneously left us pondering that her love of animals was a social deficit. When the main character's dog, Pencil, died, it was a tragedy in her life but it was not respected enough by her relatives to even post her Christmas card on the fridge. Her pain, swiftly acknowledged by the lense, was passed over for the next "funny" scene. Valentine, who became "aggressive", might not have been properly supervised in a strange setting. The fact that the new human took it upon himself to call animal control and have her dog put down would end relationships for many people, not just devoted animal guardians. Having her leave the animal shelter with all the dogs scheduled to be euthanized was pathetic and stupid. It ridiculed her broken heart; though she acted inappropriately in her grief, it might have shown her desperation differently, not a comedic turn at fitting 15 dogs into a subcompact car. It also made multiple-dog homes appear to be hovels, which is NOT true. I don't think that Martha Stewart would welcome the fur but my home, ever home to many animals, is tidy and animal-friendly. The reason for the character's dramatic mental breakdown was more akin to Nicholai Gogols' Inspector - she had a disconnect for many reasons, not the least of which was the "normal" circle of family and human "friends" in her life. To use hyperbole and the idiotic analogy of using a knife to show her neighbor "what it's like to be hunted" was, again, disrespectful of the character's deeper emotions. Even as the film ended, the main character was on a bus to stand up for animal rights - but none of the passengers were interacting with each other. I gave this film a 5 only because it had promise in its theme but disappointed in the execution of a great idea. The opportunity to explore the main character's motives and feelings was overwhelmed by making light of her predicament - her loneliness. It trivialized the sense of purpose in caring for animals as the ballywick of the socially inept, not the responsibility of everyone who has an animal - a "pet" - in his or her life.
Humour is where you find it
posted on 02 Mar 2009Since I was warned this was a comedy and there was "Dog" in the title, I was expecting something like "Turner & Hooch", but the beginning led me to believe this was really going to be a tear-jerking downer - But, perhaps that is the point - for some people it is funny that people have such strong feelings about pets.Being Vegan could be funny, rescuing dogs could be funny, eating meat could be funny, being single could be funny, but lonely people with a lot of pets is not that funny - it's actually a bit sad. Then, again, humor is where you find it. One person's funny is another person's sad.To me this was a funny movie, but not a funny - ha-ha sort of movie. It was a strange attempt to make the mundane funny. Like being tall or short or having brown hair or none at all - how to make it funny? Roberto Benigni in "La Vita è bella" managed to make life in a concentration camp funny, so maybe it was possible but this attempt not only fails at humor, but fails at developing an interesting story.
Molly Shannon does a nice dramatic turn in Year of the Dog
posted on 28 Feb 2009Year of the Dog was one of two movies (the other was The Black Book) I chose to see at the about-to-close Regal Entertainment Group's (previously United Aritsts') Siegen Village 10 Theatre in Baton Rouge, La., on its last day of operation of June 7, 2007. I went to the 1:45pm showing which had about maybe 7 or so people in attendance. What I saw was an interesting indie about a middle-age woman's emergence as an animal activist after the unfortunate death of her beloved dog, Pencil. Molly Shannon, best known for her comedic talents on SNL, brings a melancholy depth to her sad sack character as she grows out of her skin into a different person despite friends like Regina King and Laura Dern wanting her to stay the same. John C. Reilly is the next door neighbor who briefly dates Shannon after the dog's death. And Peter Sarsgaard is the dog trainer who gives Molly a new dog and helps her handle him. While all of the above characters have some amusing quirks only King and Reilly provide some genuine laughs. Shannon truly shows some dramatic chops here in the way she changes from meek to brave in the space of the more-than-90-minute running time. Reilly's change in what we perceive of him is one of the most funny scenes in the movie. It is refreshing to see Sarsgaard in a role different from his villainous role in Flight Plan (I've also seen him host SNL). The pacing may be slow for some tastes but I liked it just fine. Not perfect but a compelling effort from writer/director Mike White.
Disappointing
posted on 14 Feb 2009This was one of the most disappointing movies I have seen in a long time. The trailers made it look like a funny movie that would appeal to dog and animal lovers. It was none of that! It was a sad, slow, melancholy film. Perhaps I would have liked it a bit more had the trailers been more honest in their presentation. But I watched it expecting to laugh out loud and only managed a few, a very few, wry smiles. Molly Shannon is hilarious, but perhaps she works best as a supporting actress and not as the main character. Her performance was boring and very one dimensional. Wasted a couple of hours watching this very tedious film.
Ultimate Bait and Switch film
posted on 06 Feb 2009I had been trying to nail down what about this film bugs me. Then I again read the film's DVD jacket which promised a film that was "quirky....amusing....and...funny," a film about a woman, Peggy, who is described in exacting detail as:A happy go lucky woman who has many friends who appreciate her and a job that utilizes her skills. She Has a nice home and she has her beloved dog Pencil. Presently, she chooses to be single. Then something happens that sends her into the dog eat dog world of searching for love.*WOW, I'm thinking ....devoted pet owner, romance, comedy, laughs, the search for love! All the elements needed for a 'different' slice of life film. So what is bugging me? Perhaps the bait and switch marketing approach which found me viewing a vastly different movie.The movie I viewed delivered a very dark story (albeit some funny moments) that chronicles the emotional deconstruction of Peggy in all its depressing fashion, from frame one to film's end, to wit:Peggy's beloved dog Pencil tragically dies of toxic poisoning. Her new replacement dog Valentine KILLS a smaller defenseless dog. Valentine is then put to death. Peggy attempts to kill (knife) her neighbor. Peggy commits a felony against her sister by maliciously destroying thousands of dollars of her sister's property. We see Peggy's metamorphosis into an obsessed animal rights advocate. Peggy attempts to show her young niece how chickens are slaughtered. Peggy's sister and brother-in-law are understandably distraught. Peggy embezzles from her employer and is fired. Peggy takes 15 dogs into her home where they run wild using her home (pardon the phrase) as a LITTER BOX. The dogs are removed from her home on the basis that Peggy is now MALTREATING ANIMALS. After needed psych treatment Peggy feigns resurrection by first returning to her home and job (yes her employer actually takes her back) and then in a flash turns her back on all. Peggy's animal rights obsession resurfaces with a vengeance. It compels her to drive off, on a distant animal rights mission, leaving home, job and family behind. For the first time in her recent life Peggy is also, can you believe it, PETLESS. New title for this amusing, quirky, searching for love, funny and pet loving film: Petless, Friendless, Jobless, Familyless, Homeless, Loveless BUT Happily Obsessed!* Also misleading. In the film we never see Peggy embarked on any search for love. Two men initiate brief dead end involvements in her life.
A Really REAL Film
posted on 24 Dec 2008"Year of the Dog" is by no means a Hollywood movie. No "perfect" characters here. No "perfect" story. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Hollywood movie. By all means, bring on the popcorn! We do, indeed, need that sort of entertainment in this day and age. I truly love it!I'm just saying that this film is another breed altogether. "Year of the Dog" deals with situations, realities, and characters one might actually encounter in real life. This film is brilliant in that it doesn't take sides. An animal lover (like myself) can watch it, and feel fulfilled and amused. A non-animal-lover (unlike myself) can likewise watch it, and feel fulfilled and amused. Quite a tightrope writer/director Mr. White has created for himself. . .and completely succeeded at traversing. Bravo sir! It's ultimately a story about how different sorts of people find a way of dealing with the painful events in their lives.The actors are all on top form (particularly Regina King, Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, and Peter Saarsgard--not to mention all the beautiful animals).One could view this story as an exploration of "Dysfunction in modern America". Or, one could view this story as an exploration of "How to deal with dysfunction in modern America". Take your pick...
How to become a pet-obsessive in 10 easy lessons.
posted on 24 Dec 2008This was probably not a good movie for me to watch. I have had to put two dogs down and one just died on me. If you are out digging a grave at 5.am., bawling your eyes out, then you know what someone goes through when they lose a pet.So, I could empathize with Peggy (Molly Shannon) and see how she could be easily swayed by Newt (Peter Sarsgaard). She was vulnerable and was easily pushed over the deep end.It is unrealistic to think that friends, family, and co-workers will be so understanding. That only happens in the movies.But, it was nice to see her follow her passion. That was the plus of the movie that focused just a bit too much on animal abuse.
Very subtle humour - beautifully done
posted on 02 Dec 2008I'm from a family of dog-lovers. My mother recently fell out with one of her friends because the friend threw a leaflet (!) at some random cat that came into her garden. So I can relate to this movie a lot - when I watched Molly Shannon's performance I think "There but for the grace of God..." This is one of those rewarding films that you can watch and re-watch and get something new from it each time. I didn't realise it was written by Mike White (who also wrote another of my favourite films The Good Girl) - but I can see the similarities. Both films are about very ordinary, quiet women who have dull jobs and routinised, somewhat muted lives - but reach breaking point and end up doing something extraordinary. The cleverness of Mike White's films is in the observation of the characters - this isn't raucous gross-out comedy, it's the subtle humour that's found in everyday situations and ordinary people.But there's a lot of pathos in this film too. Peggy (Molly Shannon) is devastated when her pet dog dies - it's the most important relationship in her life - and while the death of a pet is sad, probably most of the audience won't get her extreme reaction. Her friends and family certainly don't - they're all equally obsessed with the banalities of their own lives. Peggy's brother and sister in law are the perfect WASPish couple who are convinced their maid is drugging their new baby with cough medicine and are constantly complaining about the head lice problem at their local school. Peggy's best friend at work, Layla spends most of her time trying to get her no-good boyfriend to propose to her: "I don't want to be a nag right away". Her boss, Robin cares only about getting the right pay rise at work and petty office politics. Her next-door neighbour Al cares only about hunting and getting a girlfriend. After Peggy's dog dies, Peggy goes on a date with Al but realises quickly that they're not compatible. Her next attempt at romance is with Newt - a very gentle, somewhat sexually ambiguous guy who tries to house unwanted pets. Newt introduces Peggy to veganism and animal rights, and although they have similar interests, he isn't capable of responding romantically to her - so Peggy returns to giving all of her love to animals - having noted that human beings have continually disappointed her (perhaps it's telling that Newt bears more than a passing resemblance to Peggy's own brother - and their relationship is certainly more brother and sister than lovers).However, as the film progresses, Peggy's love/obsession for animals starts to lead her to odd places - she traumatises her niece by telling her the harsh truth about the meat industry, she embezzles money from her boss, writing out cheques in his name to animal charities, she blackmails her friend's finance into adopting a dog, she ends up adopting 15 dogs and then breaks into her neighbours' house in order to "hunt" him, so that that he knows what it feels like. The writing and acting here manage to make these scenes both sad and funny at the same time - you never feel that the film is preaching at you. Animal rights is a complicated issue - and I think the film does try to address both sides of the argument.Molly Shannon is amazing in this film - she turns in a very sympathetic performance - much more toned down than some of her other comedy roles (such as Val in Will and Grace). There's something so likable about Ms Shannon that it's difficult not to care about the character she plays here, or the outcome of the film.
This is a great little film.
posted on 02 Nov 2008I am actually tempted to call it "heartwarming" though I've never used that term to compliment a film. Each character is a balance between an exaggerated stereotype and frighteningly accurate portrayal. White treats his characters with subtlety and respect while allowing them to be as ridiculous as we modern humans are. Laura Dern is a genius with her painful and precise rendition of a sterile post-modern mother. As are all the leads; wonderful to see so-called "character actors" given space to breathe. If you were looking for "school of rock" or "orange county" you may be disappointed, but if you were intrigued and moved by "chuck & buck" "year of the dog" might hit the mark. This film felt, at times, reminiscent of the work of Todd Solondz, in that the characters can be both absurd and realistic simultaneously, and (as I see it) both directors are careful to avoid exploiting their characters. White's story is more traditional and warm than most of Solondz's work, though, many viewers will likely find "dog" exclusively "too depressing" or just "funny", and probably not "funny" enough.Overall: Really lovely and well crafted little film that is both serious and silly, without being melodramatic or wacky: a triumph considering the subject matter. It has already landed a spot near the top of my short list of favorite recent films (its a desert out there these days, this is a glass of pink lemonade).
Shannon is amazing; excellent dark comedy -not just for animal lovers
posted on 21 Sep 2008YEAR OF THE DOG (2007) ***1/2 Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, Regina King, Thomas McCarthy, Josh Pais, John C. Reilly, Peter Sarsgaard, Amy & Zoe Sclagel. Shannon gives an amazing performance as a woman whose life takes a drastic change when her beloved dog accidentally dies, sending her into a spiral of both up and downward turns, with some painfully relatable predicaments. Mike White, making his directorial debut, continues his streak of smart, funny and darkly melancholic screenplays offering some choice social commentary to the mores of what makes us who we are and how we can be changed radically by one significant change that is beyond our control. A fun ensemble keeps things lively and Sargaard in particular makes for an interesting asexual partner to the begrieved Shannon. Not for just dog/animal lovers; but it helps if you are in the long run.
I hate animals
posted on 19 Sep 2008This movie was completely insane! The lead role was totally boring and the plot had little direction and lacked all possible excitement all together. I am not exactly sure weather or not to take this movie seriously. It seems like an advertisement for PETA to me. I have no problem with animal folks but for Gods sake, cut out all the PETA crap and there is nothing left except a manic depressive broad who lost a dog and likes gay guys. I would have given this movie 2 stars if when she broke into that neighbor dudes house he turned that tables and murdered her. Perhaps he could feed her dead body to the dogs. Thats what I will be doing with my copy.
The worst put together movie I've seen in a number of years
posted on 25 Aug 2009While I did not expect to see a split your gut funny movie with Molly Shannon in it, I also did not expect to see a stinker with a hidden plot line and a monotone script. I hope the investors in this movie don't expect a lot. Maybe they should get Al Gore to be in their movie the next time and have him stump it all over the country like "An Inconvenient Truth" The PETA folks will probably like this film, but REALLY, the writers could have done a better job of telling this story.The editor and director must have had a terrible time looking for scenes to put together to pad this thing to 1 3/4 hours. Next time make a movie that really tells a story not some wishful thinking put into a screenplay.Skip it and go to McDonalds!!