Who’s the good boy now?
Off the chain and ready to sniff you up, ‘Strays’ amuses but gets old fast.
What to make of “Strays,” a proudly raunchy, decidedly R-rated comedy about a pack of stray dogs on a brash journey of revenge against one’s abusive owner? As the film’s widely seen red-band trailer makes clear, it’s a live-action talking-dog picture definitely not for kids. But is it compelling enough to fetch older audiences, even the staunchest pup lovers?
Take out its wall-to-wall F-bombs, envelope-pushing scatological humor and often gross and, in one key case, deeply disturbing visuals, and you’re pretty much
left with an amusing if rote story of well-meaning animals learning lessons on the road. Think “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” or the more recent “A Dog’s Way Home” but with the furry main characters having their way with couches and garden art, tripping on magic mushrooms and spouting poop and penis jokes.
Directed by Josh Greenbaum (“Barb and Star Go to
Vista Del Mar”), written by Dan Perrault (Netflix’s “American Vandal”) and deftly voiced by a cast of comic pros, the film finds an unflaggingly upbeat, 2-yearold border terrier named Reggie (Will Ferrell, in “Elf” mode) abandoned by his dirtbag dog-dad, Doug (Will Forte), on some mean city streets three hours from their ramshackle home. Doug always detested Reggie and ended up the owner of the sweet pup only to spite his ex-girlfriend, who loved the dog but learned to hate the two-timing Doug.
No number of pushy laughs here can make Doug’s mistreatment of Reggie seem anything less than appalling, even if — or especially because — the pooch misguidedly believes that his owner adores him and that Doug’s efforts to lose him are just a fun game. Many of the dog’s-eye-view observations here are droll and relatable, but this isn’t one of them; it’s just sad.
Once left on his own, Reggie quickly falls in with Bug (Jamie Foxx), a tough, potty-mouthed Boston terrier with a fierce independent streak and strict set of rules that doesn’t include humans. Reggie and Bug are the classic odd couple, and it doesn’t take a psychic to predict that these fast friends will change (and maybe even save) each other’s lives by journey’s end. It’s a satisfying relationship to watch unfold and one of the film’s better elements.
With the added help of Bug’s stray pals — Hunter (Randall Park), an anxious, neck-cone-wearing Great Dane, and Maggie (Isla Fisher), a smart Australian shepherd with a super sense of smell — Reggie begins to see how Doug is nothing but a cruel, pet-loathing lowlife.
The pack then bands together to find its way back to Doug’s house, where Reggie will punish his ex-owner by chomping off his beloved genitals. If you don’t find this prospect even remotely funny or tolerable, this isn’t the flick for you.
En route, we’re treated to a hit-or-miss barrage of comedic bits involving a pizzaand-beer blowout, crazymaking fireworks, a rapacious eagle, a four-way urination ritual, a smeary dogpound escape, an unfortunate (and frankly disturbing) rabbit incident and much else.
There’s also plenty of goofy, no-holds-barred canine conversation (CGI was effectively used to animate the dogs’ mouths) about everything from territorymarking and why humans scoop up after their pups to theories about the hounds’ not-so-private parts. A scene in which the dogs all frantically spin in circles before finding a suitable sleeping position should tickle any pooch parent.
Still, the swearing and gross-out humor loses its bite after a while. We’re left with an at times heartfelt and enjoyably observed story that may hold interest with more patient viewers but, due to some episodic scene work and slack pacing, will leave others restless. And lest anyone think the movie’s randy-animals conceit is especially groundbreaking, more than 50 years ago came the hyperbawdy counterculture classic “Fritz the Cat,” (“He’s Xrated and animated!” went the tagline).
Kudos to the “Strays” animal training team, led by Mark Forbes (“A Dog’s Purpose”), which clearly had its work cut out for it. And to the dogs themselves (voiced by Josh Gad, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Greta Lee and others), who are adorable and engaging even when they’re doing and saying the darnedest things — except during that climactic payback sequence at Doug’s. Beware.