The Art of Racing in the Rain
3.5/4
Starring: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Martin Donovan, Kathy Baker, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and the voice of Kevin Costner
Rated PG for Thematic Material
Maybe that's the purpose of a dog: to have someone who loves you unconditionally and will be at your side through all of life's ups and downs. It's certainly why we love them. I lost both of my dogs recently, and to this day I am struck by the amount of empathy they had for people. They knew when we had a bad day or were excited about something. And they also knew how to react when they understood how we felt. The older dog Milton seemed to have a sixth sense of when I was feeling bad, and he understood that the best way to help was to sleep on my bed. I guess having no room to sleep on it was the price I paid for his services.
I have a sneaking suspicion that dogs understand more about the world than we give them credit for. Enzo (Costner) sure does. He knows that his owner Denny Swift (Ventimiglia) is the most amazing guy in the world, and anyone who does not believe this must be a complete idiot. For Enzo, this isn't an opinion. It's a fact. And right from the get go Enzo knows that his place is right by Denny's side. They're a team, which is why he isn't initially convinced that Denny's girlfriend Eve (Seyfried) is a welcome presence. But to be with Denny, he must be with Eve, and he's fine with that. Together, the three of them weather life's joys and tragedies and adapt to its biggest curveballs.
The film is told from Enzo's point of view, and as such is narrated by him (director Simon Curtis occasionally shoots the film from his perspective, but it comes across as gimmicky). The risk is that the narration would be intrusive or artificial. Neither happens because of the beautiful way that Enzo is written. As a dog, Enzo frequently doesn't understand how the world works (which leads itself to some amusing moments), but he understands people's feelings. Enzo knows that if a person is sad, the best cure is a head on their lap. His dialogue isn't too intelligent or ironic, but it comes with a tremendous amount of heart. The low-key performance by Kevin Costner is well-done for such a tricky role.
His human co-stars are just as good. Milo Ventimiglia, an underrated actor who specializes in low-key performances, is perfectly cast for the human lead in such a understated motion picture. He's laid back, placid but determined to do the best he can. Kind of like Enzo. Amanda Seyfried is an actress who really can't get enough roles for my taste, and she does well as the big-hearted Eve. Seyfried is luminous, but she stays as grounded as possible, so that makes the chemistry between her and her costar work. Kathy Baker and especially Martin Donovan are in top form as Denny's truly loathsome in-laws (Enzo exploits an opportunity for revenge for their misdeeds in the film's funniest scene).
The danger for a movie like this is to push things too hard. But Curtis is too smart for that. This is a tearjerker, and he knows it. He keeps things low-key, going for empathy rather than melodrama. He's unafraid of venturing into darker material, but he navigates this effortlessly but not highlighting it. He lets things play out naturally, and as grim as things get, Enzo is always there to give all the love he can, just as he is destined to.
There is a tendency to view every movie with a dog as a family movie. That's actually not the case here. This is a very low-key melodrama, and while there is little truly objectionable material, it demands an audience with patience and a certain degree of sophistication. Kids are probably going to be bored. Still, for adults who can suspend their disbelief, this is a great movie. I'm going to see it again very soon.
Starring: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Martin Donovan, Kathy Baker, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and the voice of Kevin Costner
Rated PG for Thematic Material
Maybe that's the purpose of a dog: to have someone who loves you unconditionally and will be at your side through all of life's ups and downs. It's certainly why we love them. I lost both of my dogs recently, and to this day I am struck by the amount of empathy they had for people. They knew when we had a bad day or were excited about something. And they also knew how to react when they understood how we felt. The older dog Milton seemed to have a sixth sense of when I was feeling bad, and he understood that the best way to help was to sleep on my bed. I guess having no room to sleep on it was the price I paid for his services.
I have a sneaking suspicion that dogs understand more about the world than we give them credit for. Enzo (Costner) sure does. He knows that his owner Denny Swift (Ventimiglia) is the most amazing guy in the world, and anyone who does not believe this must be a complete idiot. For Enzo, this isn't an opinion. It's a fact. And right from the get go Enzo knows that his place is right by Denny's side. They're a team, which is why he isn't initially convinced that Denny's girlfriend Eve (Seyfried) is a welcome presence. But to be with Denny, he must be with Eve, and he's fine with that. Together, the three of them weather life's joys and tragedies and adapt to its biggest curveballs.
The film is told from Enzo's point of view, and as such is narrated by him (director Simon Curtis occasionally shoots the film from his perspective, but it comes across as gimmicky). The risk is that the narration would be intrusive or artificial. Neither happens because of the beautiful way that Enzo is written. As a dog, Enzo frequently doesn't understand how the world works (which leads itself to some amusing moments), but he understands people's feelings. Enzo knows that if a person is sad, the best cure is a head on their lap. His dialogue isn't too intelligent or ironic, but it comes with a tremendous amount of heart. The low-key performance by Kevin Costner is well-done for such a tricky role.
His human co-stars are just as good. Milo Ventimiglia, an underrated actor who specializes in low-key performances, is perfectly cast for the human lead in such a understated motion picture. He's laid back, placid but determined to do the best he can. Kind of like Enzo. Amanda Seyfried is an actress who really can't get enough roles for my taste, and she does well as the big-hearted Eve. Seyfried is luminous, but she stays as grounded as possible, so that makes the chemistry between her and her costar work. Kathy Baker and especially Martin Donovan are in top form as Denny's truly loathsome in-laws (Enzo exploits an opportunity for revenge for their misdeeds in the film's funniest scene).
The danger for a movie like this is to push things too hard. But Curtis is too smart for that. This is a tearjerker, and he knows it. He keeps things low-key, going for empathy rather than melodrama. He's unafraid of venturing into darker material, but he navigates this effortlessly but not highlighting it. He lets things play out naturally, and as grim as things get, Enzo is always there to give all the love he can, just as he is destined to.
There is a tendency to view every movie with a dog as a family movie. That's actually not the case here. This is a very low-key melodrama, and while there is little truly objectionable material, it demands an audience with patience and a certain degree of sophistication. Kids are probably going to be bored. Still, for adults who can suspend their disbelief, this is a great movie. I'm going to see it again very soon.
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