The Art of Racing in the Rain

Close out the summer with a shamelessly wholesome family drama designed to generate a puddle of tears. We’re talkin’ a loyal dog, a sweet little girl and star Ventimiglia in full

Jack Pearson mode. He plays a mechanic and budding race car driver named Denny Swift — seriously, that’s his name — who uses his days on the track to steer his life. His golden retriever, Enzo (voiced by Costner), helps him along the way. But after his wife (Seyfried) becomes ill and his daughter pulls away, he must recalibrate. This is no cutesy Secret Life of Pets: Costner channels Enzo’s inner thoughts with a grizzled sensibility, which only makes it more poignant when he starts to show his age. Indeed, although the film delves big-time into heartbreak and loss (parents, beware!), don’t put it in the doghouse.