There are times for every critic when a film hits a little too close to home. Whether it's a film with abusive parents being shown to a victim, or a drug problem in a movie seen by a former addict, sometimes a film's content becomes too much to bear for an unprepared audience. And while this can be expected most commonly in horror films where shock is needed, there's a proper time and place to be sad or out there. For me, the line is drawn when pets become involved.
At this point in my career, I'm practically desensitized to most acts of violence: there's always something that can surprise me, sure (such as The Joker's shocking 'Pencil Trick' in The Dark Knight), but not much in the ways of damage to a human body can shock me anymore in the cinema. But animals hit a soft spot for me: as a dog lover myself, particularly dachshunds, the idea of pain or illness affecting man's best friend can leave me with a gaping mouth. Perhaps the fact that the essential plot device of Wiener Dog bears a striking resemblance to a female version of my beloved Ace is what drives me to my conclusions about this film.
Before we start, I'd like to say one thing: If you're looking for a lighthearted comedy about the exploits of a cuddly animal friend or a pet's quest to reunite with it's owners, then please look elsewhere. You're not going to find anything of the sort in today's film. There are many fun animal films out there, like Homeward Bound, The Secret Life of Pets or even the recent Keanu (although that is admittedly a stretch) that one can watch to get the feelings that the innocent poster and name of Wiener Dog would lead one to expect. This film is not an adorable animal film, where one can watch pets and owners engage in wacky hijinks or tearful reunions. This film is DARK.
Allow me to put things in perspective. There weren't many people in the theater where I went to see Wiener Dog, none of which were behind me, so I had the opportunity to take out my laptop and take a few notes. The second note on my list is, and I quote, "Man, this film is depressing." The last five of these notes are in all caps and each include a unique expletive. Yep, it's one of those films.
Wiener Dog tells the story of a female dachshund as she is passed from owner to owner. Adopted first by a working father as a present for his son (who is recovering from chemotherapy), who christens her "Wiener Dog". After an incident where the child foolishly feeds Wiener Dog a granola bar (as a former vet-in-training, I can say that granola is not harmful to dogs in the dose shown in the film), she is taken to the vet to be put to sleep- only to be rescued by a vet tech who continues the story. The dog is renamed Doody and continues her travels being passed from owner to owner.
Despite what the title of the film would lead one to believe, similar to Keanu, the focus rests not on the previously mentioned Wiener Dog but on her different owners and their stories. As the years pass, she settles down with not only a family and a vet, but a grouchy old woman, a mentally challenged couple, and a struggling film teacher (played by Danny Devito, he of the magnum dong), and watches as they face life-changing experiences.
Oh, and there's an 'intermission' halfway through the film that has the wiener dog green-screened over famous locations. This lasted long enough for me to run out to the concession stand, refill my cup of water, and return to the theater. The remnants of the water were promptly expelled all over my table when I saw the climax of the film.
Because my job refuses to allow me to give everything away, I will regale you with a story relating to the climax of Wiener Dog: when the film premiered at this year's Sundance, reviewers were so outraged that they resorted to spoiling the movie's ending in their writings so as to prevent others from seeing the film. Draw the conclusions you will from that one.
OVERALL RATING: 5/10
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Wiener Dog is one of those works that people are incredibly split on. They either love the dark humor and silent moments or they don't. And while I'm a fan of black comedy and dark humor myself (I grew up on a cartoon revolving around the grim reaper's wacky adventures), the darkness and sad lives on display in Wiener Dog can be too much. This movie is an exploration more than a film, and the dog is more of a plot device in the end. A few parts of this film work well (Danny Devito's story had a likable lead and some funny jabs at the screenwriting process), and the wiener dog is cute, but aside from that it's something too depressing for most audiences and sometimes too boring for the other end. If you want a dark, funny pet film, go for Keanu- the focus is still on the humans, but the dark stories are overwritten by the comedy duo in the lead.
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