Year of the Dog (2007)

Featured Audience Ratings

• E.J. B

  
  Year of the Dog, or what could also be called, The Life and TImes of an Animal Activist, focuses on Peggy, played with quirky yet lovable sentiment by Molly Shannon. Peggy is completely passive, and has no companionship in her life, except for her little dog. One day the dog dies and… More
  Year of the Dog, or what could also be called, The Life and TImes of an Animal Activist, focuses on Peggy, played with quirky yet lovable sentiment by Molly Shannon. Peggy is completely passive, and has no companionship in her life, except for her little dog. One day the dog dies and Peggy is forced to cope with the reality of death, yet also the reality of life. In her grief, she meets Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) who works at a pet clinic. He also opens her eyes to an entire world/industry that abuses animals, kills them, and turns them into food. She begins a naiive yet noble campaign to save as many animals as she can and inform as many people as she can about what is being done to many animals in test labs, slaughterhouses, even in the pound. Director Mike White has a knack for creating oddball characters. They are aplenty here, but it makes the film feel like a Wes Anderson picture, which is never a bad thing. The cinematography by Tim Orr borrows a lot from Anderson, and Jonathan Demme, as characters are framed in the centre speaking directly into the camera. Regardless of the unoriginality, the film works as a strange yet touching comedy.

• Red L

  
  This movie sucks. For Peggy, it seems dogs provide the love and attention she needs. But when tragedy strikes, Peggy goes a little crazy. But, I just don't see the point of the movie. It is agonizingly slow. The people in the movie are shallow. And it drives me crazy that… More
  This movie sucks. For Peggy, it seems dogs provide the love and attention she needs. But when tragedy strikes, Peggy goes a little crazy. But, I just don't see the point of the movie. It is agonizingly slow. The people in the movie are shallow. And it drives me crazy that Peggy couldn't see that she could be a dog-loving vegan if she wanted to, but no one can convince the whole world to turn into copies of herself.

• Luke B

  
  Middle-aged Molly Shannon is distraught after the death of her dog. She tries to fill the void with dating, but eventually it all comes back to her connecting with animals more than humans. Shannon gives an excellent performance, at times sweet and at other times crazy. Her good… More
  Middle-aged Molly Shannon is distraught after the death of her dog. She tries to fill the void with dating, but eventually it all comes back to her connecting with animals more than humans. Shannon gives an excellent performance, at times sweet and at other times crazy. Her good intentions start to be forced upon those close to her. Her family also play it well, as they seem overprotective and annoying, but certainly don't deserve some of Shannon's lashings. Sarsgaard is his excellent self in a sort of sad but uplifting role. Perhaps it all becomes a bit too sweet in the end, but the film has some wonderful comedic examples of passion vs. insanity.

• paul s

  
  I found this script to be ofttimes juvinile and the charactors, although intended as such, written in extremely broad strokes. For a "comedy", even a dark one, it totally missed the mark except for the portrayal by Laura Dern as the upper middle class too PC for her own… More
  I found this script to be ofttimes juvinile and the charactors, although intended as such, written in extremely broad strokes. For a "comedy", even a dark one, it totally missed the mark except for the portrayal by Laura Dern as the upper middle class too PC for her own good, sister in law. I love dogs and can understand how the loss of one can drive you to distraction, but so much of the plot seemed contrived and, to be honest, not very funny at all. Newt, the boyfriend never adequitly explains why he is celebate, and comes off as not a very good dog handler - though I don't know if this was by design or just laziness on the part of the writers. I was disturbed by the scene where the heroine confronts her neighbor saying that he killed her dog. OK, I can see why she may think that way, since he dog ate poison that was on his property, but that's just it - it was on HIS property, and her dog was trespassing. A more responsible dog owner would not have allowed her dog the possibility of wandering into harms way like that. Her portrayal as a dog lover shows her to be irresponsible and gives true dog owners a bad name.

• Nicki M

  
  I was a bit mixed on how I felt about this one and what type of movie it is actually meant to be - I'm pretty sure it is a black comedy, although it's played very straight in places so at times I did briefly wonder if I was wrong. During the "mauling" scene I… More
  I was a bit mixed on how I felt about this one and what type of movie it is actually meant to be - I'm pretty sure it is a black comedy, although it's played very straight in places so at times I did briefly wonder if I was wrong. During the "mauling" scene I didn't know what it was trying to do.. Not something that should be funny at all, but the crying was so over the top and the dog in the basket ect - it kept me from warming to it as much as I could have, because it's clearly not a funny situation. Generally I liked this, I liked the characters a lot and could certainly relate to them. Dare I admit there is a little of the Peggy in me! The bit with the beagle dying was the saddest thing I have seen in ages and literally had me in tears - a real credit to Molly Shannon's acting abilities, and she's not generally someone I would think of as a great actress. (Funny, yes, but not someone to take too seriously). I wish I could decide if this was actually good or not! It was certainly one of the more interesting movies I have seen in a while.

• Chris G

  
  This film is a waste. A waste of a good idea. A waste of my $.25. A huge waste of John C. Reilly, who is really the only redeeming factor of this film. Year of the Dog is about a secretary (Molly Shannon) whose beagle dies, leading her on a series of misadventures while becoming an… More
  This film is a waste. A waste of a good idea. A waste of my $.25. A huge waste of John C. Reilly, who is really the only redeeming factor of this film. Year of the Dog is about a secretary (Molly Shannon) whose beagle dies, leading her on a series of misadventures while becoming an animal activist. This is not the film that the promotion advertises. What could have been a quirky comedy with a message becomes a 90 minute sermon about becoming vegan. That's all this is.The characters are idiotic, which is OK if they actually do something funny on screen. I'm not going to waste anymore time on this garbage. Euthanasia would be a better alternative to this movie.

• Robert C

  
  A sweet, quirky and touching little film. I'm not a HUGE Molly Shannon fan. I enjoy her sketch comedy characters, but I've yet to see one that I felt was feature film worthy. Normally (for me) after about 5-10 minutes they start to morph from funny to annoying.… More
  A sweet, quirky and touching little film. I'm not a HUGE Molly Shannon fan. I enjoy her sketch comedy characters, but I've yet to see one that I felt was feature film worthy. Normally (for me) after about 5-10 minutes they start to morph from funny to annoying. Fortunately in this film Molly's character (Peggy) is a toned down version of what I would imagine the "real life" Molly to be. Molly's performance is (ultimately) quite endearing, though there are moments were you start to question her sanity. Which is a testament to her (under utilized) acting ability and a pretty good (if not a bit simple) script. Laura Dern is BRILLIANT in a supporting role as Peggy's uptight, suburbanite, sister-in-law. And Peter Sarsgaard is great as the asexual, vegan, animal activist. Who as you might imagine is a very complex & emotional mess. I think that there is a little something in here for just about everyone to relate to, but pet lovers (and vegans) in particular will really be able to related to much of "Peggy's" journey.

• Mark H

  
  Filled with characters you've never seen or probably ever will see. Molly Shannon's character is touching and pathetic all at the same time. It's funny.

• Bannan i

  
  It's a bit mediocre...but most animal lover will probably have a biased opinion about it. Dealing with some pretty intense situations it shows us that sometimes we have stand up...no matter what everyone else thinks of us. [more review later]

• Dean M

  
  Molly Shannon does a career-transforming performance in this quirky comedy about the search for love - so heartfelt as well as I really love dogs.

• Drew S

  
  This is totally the movie that sat in the back of the classroom gluing its hands to its face in elementary school, and then against all odds by the time it got to college it grew up and got oddly sexy and clever but still really awkward. Everyone knows someone like that. Actually,… More
  This is totally the movie that sat in the back of the classroom gluing its hands to its face in elementary school, and then against all odds by the time it got to college it grew up and got oddly sexy and clever but still really awkward. Everyone knows someone like that. Actually, probably not, I'm just bullshitting this because I really don't have much to say about the movie. I liked it, I thought some parts were so cute they made me wanna shit and others were almost hilariously awkward, but I felt a little cold afterward. It is a very strongly-written movie dealing with a thin plot and flimsy characters. Molly Shannon's great though. God knows why she lets herself fester in shit like Evan Almighty and Scary Movie 4 and the 5000 Christmas movies she's done when she clearly has talent. And how did I manage to rent two Peter Sarsgaard movies at the same time? That man is a fox, though. I'd watch him rescue animals, crack down on journalistic abuse, make a cheese sandwich...anything really.

• William D

  
  [font=Garamond][size=4]The first half of The Year of the Dog was brilliant and hilarious. The second half was meandering and shallow.[/size][/font]… More
  [font=Garamond][size=4]The first half of The Year of the Dog was brilliant and hilarious. The second half was meandering and shallow.[/size][/font] [img]http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Art/ENTERTAINMENT/Projects/07_SpringMovieGuide/springmovies07_yearoftheDog.hmedium.jpg[/img] [font=Garamond][size=4]Mike White, the writer and first-time director (and also the genius behind 2000's "Chuck and Buck") spends the first half of The Year of the Dog setting up a hilarious and somewhat sad world of lonely, awkward losers who have sex about once every 20 years.[/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]Peggy Spade, played with confident comic under-statement by Molly Shannon, is a 40-ish secretary who appears not to have gone on a date since 1985. She's very sweet and soft-spoken and wears old-lady button-down sweaters and sensible shoes to work.[/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]Peggy expends most of her love and devotion on her beloved beagle, named Pencil. When Pencil mysteriously dies of "toxic poisoning," Peggy is grief-stricken of course. Shannon, it should be noted, does not play this grief for laughs. She conveys the heart and soul of this woman by playing the grief quite straight. Shannon very clearly does not want to mock Peggy. She portrays Peggy's loving side as a bit pathetic, but also dignified. If there were more people like Peggy, the world would clearly be a better place. And that's no joke.[/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]In the veterinarian's office, Peggy makes the acquaintance of a worker played by the incomparable Peter Sarsgaard. (I predict Sarsgaard will have a Best Actor Oscar in about five years.) They establish a friendship based largely on their near-obsession with dogs and animals in general. He helps her pick out a new dog and they work on training the dog together. [/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]Romance seems to be in the air, and it is very sweet to see these two misfits discover each other. Their first kiss is cinema gold. But there is something in the way for him, which is never quite spelled out. I appreciated this obliqueness, and Sarsgaard has a field day with it. [/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]When Peggy realizes that she has once again failed to find romance, she goes off the deep end. This is also where the film goes off the deep end. She starts doing very strange things that are so out of keeping with her character that they ring false. These actions start to seem like plot devices, rather than turning points organically emerging from the story.[/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]When Peggy adopts 15 dogs and turns her home into a chaotic kennel, I felt like I was watching the dog version of "Yours, Mine and Ours." At the end there's a resolution that reeked to me of Disney family films or after-school specials.[/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]The Year of the Dog is to me a textbook case of a script with a brilliant first act, but a terrible Act 2. I just don't think White knew what he wanted to do with the story arc. He is brilliant at conjuring up characters and worlds for them. But I'm not sure his strength is conceiving of full narrative arcs that take his characters through a life process.[/size][/font] [font=Garamond][size=4]It could be that White's real gift is for shorts, more than feature-length films. It's a shame, because the early scenes with Shannon and then Sarsgaard are superb.[/size][/font]

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]In "Year of the Dog," Peggy(Molly Shannon) is a secretary whose most important relationship is with her beloved beagle, Pencil. But one day, she discovers Pencil in the yard belonging to Al(John C. Reilly), a neighbor and avid hunter, very sick due to… More
  [font=Century Gothic]In "Year of the Dog," Peggy(Molly Shannon) is a secretary whose most important relationship is with her beloved beagle, Pencil. But one day, she discovers Pencil in the yard belonging to Al(John C. Reilly), a neighbor and avid hunter, very sick due to poisoning. Unluckily, he does not survive. Coming to her emotional rescue, is Newt(Peter Sarsgaard), an animal rescue worker, who offers her Valentine, a German shepherd with issues...[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Year of the Dog" is an agreeable and unconventional movie that sadly lacks an edge which is necessary with any satire. Making fun of the modern office has definitely run its course by now. On the other hand, Molly Shannon gives a surprisingly human performance and Peter Sarsgaard never fails to disappoint.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]The movie is about a woman who finds a purpose to her life.(Ironic since this is a movie that may not have accomplished the same thing.) But first, she has to learn that death(especially that of a devoted pet) is a natural part of life. Along the same lines, as an activist, it is necessary to know when one is wrong and that some battles cannot be won, lest one become a fanatic.[/font]

• Sol C

  
  Cute film. Molly Shannon shines in this film. It was great seeing her in a leading role in a film as oppose to playing a supporting role. Also Regina King, John C. Reilly, and Peter Sarsgaard provide good supporting work in the film. The only negative was the pacing being off. It is… More
  Cute film. Molly Shannon shines in this film. It was great seeing her in a leading role in a film as oppose to playing a supporting role. Also Regina King, John C. Reilly, and Peter Sarsgaard provide good supporting work in the film. The only negative was the pacing being off. It is still worth checking out cause of Molly Shannon's performance.

• Joseph E

  
  If there was ever a movie that filled you with as much warmth and fuzzyness as an actual dog, or anminal, this film is it. This was part comedy, and romance, but also part ireverent thriller. Wait! What? A thriller? Yes, it was full of suprrising twist, and nonsense. Either way,… More
  If there was ever a movie that filled you with as much warmth and fuzzyness as an actual dog, or anminal, this film is it. This was part comedy, and romance, but also part ireverent thriller. Wait! What? A thriller? Yes, it was full of suprrising twist, and nonsense. Either way, i enjoyed this film alot. For what ever reasons I know, and those reasons I don't know. This makes "The trurh About Cats and Dogs", look like "Complete and Utter sh*t".

• Daniel P

  
  A very thoughtful, sometimes funny film, sort of Todd Solondz meets Alexander Payne. Molly Shannon is, surprisingly, very good in a dramatic role. Peter Sarsgaard is, frankly, amazing. Is it possible to be both asexual and sexy at the same time? Apparently so. Review soon.

• Andrew F

  
  This movie was really disappointing. Sure, Molly Shannon was great in it, but the movie is very stale and dry overall. None of the jokes were funny. By the end of the film, I just did not care about what happened to Peggy.

• Philip P

  
  Not what I expected going in, though Year of the Dog enlists many fine actors and each of their comedic skills come through at some point or another, overall the film seemed to drag. The funniest thing about the movie was Peggy's sister-in-law, who was so over the top with the… More
  Not what I expected going in, though Year of the Dog enlists many fine actors and each of their comedic skills come through at some point or another, overall the film seemed to drag. The funniest thing about the movie was Peggy's sister-in-law, who was so over the top with the protecting her children-probably because it seemed so true. As the story progressed it seemed t get more odd, but not in a good way. I can say one good thing and that is: The quote at the end of the movie that goes "Their are so many lives in this life" was truly touching.

• Joey N

  
  It's not that it's incompetant. I just don't feel like it was worth it. Molly Shannon does a respectable job, and John C. Riley has some funny moments. But it's all rather dull and it's always offputting when the character that's clearly designed for… More
  It's not that it's incompetant. I just don't feel like it was worth it. Molly Shannon does a respectable job, and John C. Riley has some funny moments. But it's all rather dull and it's always offputting when the character that's clearly designed for comic relief (Regina King) isn't being very funny...

• William G

  
  Although Shannon and Dern fare well, muddled dramedy is curiously unfocused.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings