'Dog Days'

There is a popular myth that people are either cat or dog people, as though it is not possible to like both. Obviously, that is nonsense, plenty of people like both even if they may have a preference for one over the other. People who have pets tend to like them as a companion. Even if they have a partner or family, a pet is a different kind of companion.

Cats are notoriously independent, and while they can provide a comforting presence, aside from wanting to be fed, they do not tend to crave the attention of their human owners. Dogs, on the other hand, are much more of a social animal. They tend to bond with their owners and individuals.

A love of dogs is needed if one is to enjoy the very enjoyable, ensemble film Dog Days. The film tells four stories all woven around interpersonal relationships and the canine influence.

Elizabeth (Nina Dobrev, best known for Vampire Diaries) is a breakfast television presenter on Wake Up LA for channel six, and she and her partner, Peter (Ryan Hansen) have a rescue dog, Sam, something she tells dog therapist Danielle (Tig Notaro) while interviewing her on her show.

When she returns home from work to find a strange dog in their apartment and their dog brings a bra she does not own to her, she realises that he is cheating on her.

Tara (Vanessa Hudgens) works in a coffee shop and feels like she is wasting her marketing degree. She works across the road from a veterinary hospital where her crush, Dr. Mike (Michael Cassidy) works. Garrett (Jon Bass) is regular at the coffee shop. He has a crush on Tara.

Whilst putting out some trash, Tara comes across a small, stray dog. Her friend, Daisy (Lauren Lapkus) suggest she takes the dog over to see the hot vet, Dr. Mike. Tara takes the dog over to the veterinary clinic and sees Mike. He does not recognise her, even though he buys coffee from her everyday.

Ruth (Jessica St. Clair) is heavily pregnant, expecting twins. She feels overwhelmed by her state and her husband, Greg (Thomas Lennon) is of little help.

At her baby shower, where her brother Dax (Adam Pally), a bit of a wastrel, is meant to be deejaying, their dog, Charlie, destroys all the gifts. Dax comes over and as Ruth rages at him, she goes into labour. Dax has to look after Charlie.

Grace (Eva Longoria) and Kurt (Rob Corddry) are preparing their home to receive Amelia (Elizabeth Phoenix Caro) a little girl they are adopting. They are very nervous and anxious about being parents.

Walter (Ron Cephas Jones) is out walking his dog, Mabel when he is seen by Tyler (Finn Wolfhard), the boy who delivered him a pizza the evening before. Tyler, a bit miffed about not having received a tip, shouts out how fat Mabel is. Mabel runs off and Walter, distressed by the dog running off, has a mild heart attack.

Elizabeth goes to see therapist Danielle about her dog. She is told that Sam needs to socialise. Elizabeth throws a birthday party for Sam’s birthday. Whilst the dog is out, it ends up playing with another dog, Brandy, that just happens to belong to Jimmy (Tone Bell), a recently retired sportsman she had a challenging interview with on her show.

When Elizabeth is called into her producer, Nina's (Toks Olagundoye) office to meet her new co-host, it turns out to be Jimmy. Tara goes to see the dog she rescued at the rescue centre. It turns out that Garrett is the director of the centre. He has named the dog Gertrude because he always saw Tara reading Gertrude Stein.

Prompted by her makeup artist, Elizabeth goes on a dog date with Jimmy. Grace and Kurt are struggling to get Amelia to open up to them. They take her to the park and she gets momentarily lost. When they find her, she is playing happily with Mabel.

Tyler has gone back to Walter to see how he is and help him find Mabel. Tyler is struggling with his English assignment. Walter, who was an English professor, offers to help him.

Grace and Kurt, unable to find Mabel’s owner, take the dog home with them, as Amelia loves her so much. Dax is coming around to the idea of looking after his sister’s dog. Elizabeth and Jimmy go on their dog date. She opens up to him about her ex. He tells her he has been too busy to settle down.

Walter and Tyler keep looking for Mabel. Garrett finds out that his landlord has sold the building and he has to leave the premises. Tara suggests they do a fundraiser. Dax tries to take the dog back to his sister, but she is still overwhelmed after the recent birth of her twins. Dax takes Charlie back with him.

Tara sees Dax moving one of his equipment boxes and thinks he is moving a person. Elizabeth, out with Jimmy, runs into her ex, Peter, in the pet store. Tyler makes him apologise to Elizabeth.

Tara and Garrett are getting closer as they continue to plan the fundraiser. Grace, Kurt, and Amelia are settling much more as a family with the help of Mabel. Elizabeth and Jimmy’s relationship progresses.

Dr. Mike puts a spanner in the works for Garrett’s hopes, when he offers to take Tara to the fundraiser. Tara jumps at the opportunity. Amy (Jessica Lowe), the makeup artist, tells Elizabeth that Jimmy is moving to channel 12. She did not know. Whilst interviewing a professional clown, Elizabeth starts ranting at Jimmy. They split up.

Charlie eats a weed brownie whilst Dax is with his band. He takes the dog to Dr. Mike. He tells him the dog will be fine and just needs fluids. Tyler studies with Walter and remarks on the size of his home. Kurt sees Tyler. Tyler is a student of his and as he congratulates him on his homework he notices that Tyler is looking for the dog they took in.

Jimmy is out playing with Brandy. Brandy has a heart attack and has to be put down. Jimmy is distraught. Elizabeth gets a new co-host. She hears about brandy getting put down from Amy. She goes to see Danielle again. She is a blubbering mess. She forgets to take her dog.

Tyler takes Walter to see more dogs. Tara’s date with Dr. Mike exposes himself as a narcissist. Grace has to tell Amelia that they have found the dog’s owner. Amelia takes the news really well. The fundraiser goes really well. Tara realises that Garrett is the right person for her.

Elizabeth goes and gets Jimmy back live on television. Walter is reunited with Mabel. When he sees how happy it makes the family, he decides to let them keep the dog.

Dax returns Charlie to his sister but is better for the experience. Walter lets Garrett turn his house into a dog shelter. Jimmy proposes to Elizabeth and she accepts. The end.

Dog Days is a lovely Sunday afternoon film. It gives all the feels, without being too taxing on the brain. Both a romantic comedy and family film, it manages to balance the romance and comedy really well, with most of the humour hitting the mark.

All the characters are believable and engaging enough for you to care what happens in their respective stories. At a nearly two hour runtime, Dog Days does not feel like a long film, even with the multiple stories happening.

Written by Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama, the screenplay sparkles with comedic gems, especially from secondary characters that do not necessarily affect the story. Phoebe Neidhardt’s Alexa, the painfully single, weather forecaster, is awkwardly funny. The scene where Nina tells Elizabeth that she is getting Jimmy as her co-host is brilliant.

The film is ably directed by Ken Marino, television veteran who even makes an appearance in the film as Jimmy’s replacement co-host. For a film that bounces from story to story, it is very easy to follow and you never feel pulled out of the story or that one story is less interesting.

With the trio of beauties that are Hudgens, Dobrev, and Longoria, plus the star power brought by Finn Wolfhard after his breakout role in Stranger Things, it is difficult to credit any one of them as the star of the film. Such is the nature of the film, all the actors in the main stories, depending on your point of view, could be seen as the star.

I did not have high hopes for Dog Days. It did not strike me as the type of film that would be anything more than mildly amusing. I’m glad to say I was pleasantly surprised. It is a film with a lot of heart and definitely worth a Sunday afternoon chill viewing.