STRAYS: DOGGY STYLE (2023)

Genre: Comedy
Director: Josh Greenbaum
Cast: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Brett Gelman and Will Forte, Josh Gad, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Jamie Demetriou, Sofia Vergara
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language and Sexual References)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 August 2023

Synopsis: They say a dog is a man’s best friend, but what if the man is a total dirtbag? In that case, it might be time for some sweet revenge, doggy style. When Reggie (Will Ferrell), a naïve, relentlessly optimistic Border Terrier, is abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug (Will Forte; The Last Man on Earth, Nebraska), Reggie is certain that his beloved owner would never leave him on purpose. But once Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier named Bug (Oscar ® winner Jamie Foxx), a stray who loves his freedom and believes that owners are for suckers, Reggie finally realizes he was in a toxic relationship and begins to see Doug for the heartless sleazeball that he is. Determined to seek revenge, Reggie, Bug and Bug’s pals—Maggie (Isla Fisher; Now You See Me, Wedding Crashers), a smart Australian Shepherd who has been sidelined by her owner’s new puppy, and Hunter (Randall Park; Always Be My Maybe, Aquaman), an anxious Great Dane who’s stressed out by his work as an emotional support animal—together hatch a plan and embark on an epic adventure to help Reggie find his way home … and make Doug pay by biting off the appendage he loves the most. (Hint: It’s not his foot).

Movie Review:

Revenge is best served cold. And Strays: Doggy Style has gone all out to epitomise the adage! Two-year-old Reggie, who views the world and his dog-dad with rose-tinted glasses refuses to believe that Doug, who deals with almost every addiction under the sun after a nasty breakup would go to just about any lengths to leave him out in the cold. But as soon as winsome Reggie crosses paths with freedom-loving, foul-mouth Boston terrier, Bug, a stray that firmly believes that owners are for losers, things take a wild turn! That’s when the mission begins where the hounds swear to make despicable Doug pay big time for being heartless. And non-stop hilarity ensues!

If you were wondering where the talking animals movies went, look no further. The pure fun and no preachy business or virtue signalling that is undeniably a subversion of all the canine flicks we’ve known and loved through the years, puts a mature twist on the talking dog cliché. It’s basically Homeward Bound for this generation except with a vendetta and that too with a vicious-looking capital “V”.

Directed by Josh Greenbaum and coming from the makers of Cocaine Bear, 21 Jump Street and Ted, the sui generis comedy launches without much further ado with a narration by the soon-to-be-abandoned border terrier who is seen naively chasing two butterflies in the field and reminiscing on how wonderful life has been of late.

The R-rated talking animal movie, features dogs from all walks of life. A failed police canine who is now a therapy dog, a once home-owned three-year-old terrier that has proudly earned its name as a stray and an attractive Australian Shepherd that has been neglected by her owner. And to elevate the game of humour to a whole new level, there’s a cameo by a narrator dog that happens to know just too much of its owner’s deep, dark secrets, only to have no one listening to it!

Although it parodies other dog movies like A Dog Way’s Home and A Dog’s Purpose, it lends a fresh perspective to have our canine buddies discussing real life issues. This goes to say that the genre has indeed matured along with its target audiences and we have officially evolved from Air Buddies to Strays: Doggy Style!

Far from heart-wrenching Hachiko, beneath the gruff layers of crude slapstick humour and a script that is littered with expletives, this bow-wow comedy that is understandably forbidden to minors delivers a message that cuts deep. With tears rolling down our aching cheeks after hoots of laughter, bouts of indescribable sadness set in as soon as Reggie who believes that the best relationships are the hardest ones gets conflicted about if he wants to seek revenge or let go of the idea that seems diabolically brilliant and justifiable at the same time! What elevates the entire experience as an adventure is the fact that the loquacious foursome serve their soul’s purpose while on their ‘way back home’.

Sausage Party that pioneered the not-just-for-kids-animation craze and paved way for rib- ticklers like Strays: Doggy Style deserves some appreciation at this point. This most mature up-to-date talking animal film that has Doctor Dolitte taking a back seat, gives us a reason to expel a loud whoosh of relief. Most talking animal movies are hailed for their bad CG, toilet humour, lots of ‘I’m-not-crying-you-are’ moments and bad pacing. Thankfully, the makers didn’t opt for full on CGI for the dogs’ lip movements and that certainly made it a lot less uncanny. The talking paw pals’ facial composites look believably good.

If you undermine the strength of the plot, assuming that the humour sequences with the quadrupeds’ swearing to override the storyline, you stand corrected. There is much depth to this chatty caper where the main characters whip out, political, racial and of course sexual jokes in almost every scene. The live action feature casting the little potty mouths underscores the significance of great friendships, complicated situationships and unexpected virtues of couch humping alongside a powerhouse supporting cast that seems to have gone boldly out of its way to embody the what-not-to notion when making a movie. Mad respect for that!

The ‘magic’ shrooms (which are king oysters mushrooms that you can get at supermarkets by the way) scene that will have you rolling over is gold! The mail man scene proves that it has to be a universal trait among canines to detest postman or delivery man for no apparent reason. And what’s not to crack up about the fact that Jamie Foxx was casted to voice an adorable little terrier? Parenthetically, Randall Park who is the voice behind the Great Dane lent his vocals to one of the henchman’s character in PAW Patrol. It’s a shame that Snoop Dogg wasn’t part of the cast. That would have made Strays: Doggy Style a straight-up double “G”! If there can be anything possibly funnier than these uproarious sequences, it has to be parents taking their kids to this raunchy comedy with dirty humour, while being completely oblivious to its rating.

Besides some boo-hoo moments such as a stigmatic stance against certain breeds (rotties and dobes as baddies), what douses the mood on the low would be the narrative trailer that could have masked the crusade’s ultimate goal. The 93-minute tear-jerker ends up feeling like a rehash of the trailer itself.

Pervasive language (imagine more F-bombs than in The Wolf of Wall Street), crass dialogues, crude sexual content, drug references and cringey scenes, may be a tad bit overwhelming especially if you are Team Babe, Stuart Little, Milo & Ortis or the like. So, just do yourself a favour and give this worthy watch a pass. Strays: Doggy Style is exclusively here to smash your fondest memories of All Dogs Go to Heaven and it’s best if you let the narrative that unfolds in a dog’s perspective serve its purpose. Also, it’s not every day that we get to excuse a cute Boston terrier cussing away like a sailor, is it?

If you are an ardent fan of Cocaine Bear and Ted, then this side-splittingly funny escapade is here to stay (rent-free) in your mind. A sequel in the soonest future that promises to leave us in stitches would be just as rewarding! A resounding yes to another much-needed talking animal flick! Let Strays: Doggy Style woof its way to you on the big screen!

Movie Rating:

(With too many Dougs out there, Stray: Doggy Style serves as a reminder to spay, neuter and treat your fur babies right or else they will come back to bite you in places you wouldn’t have imagined, just like karma!)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas