Charity's Place.com

THE SHAGGY DOG

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Because of: some crude humor

Rated:

I have seen a lot of cinematic trials in my time, but none transcribed to quite as much chaos as in The Shaggy Dog. Only loosely based on the original film years ago, the new version features a more streamlined plot without the mild occult overtones and the comic antics of Tim Allen.

Tibetan Monks have in their possession a rare and exceptional beast, a six-hundred-year-old canine. American researches are desperate to find the secret to his long lifeline and kidnap him in a covert operation that lands him safely in the vaults of their lab, Strictland & Lichtman. Recently vandalized and nearly burned down by an aggressive animal-rights group leader, and teacher at the local high school, the firm's representative, Dr. Kozak (Robert Downey Jr.) is involved in a court trial. The assistant district attorney prosecuting the case is Dave Douglas (Tim Allen). His opinion on the matter is so popular that his own daughter Carly (Zena Grey), an animal rights activist, is hardly speaking to him. His wife Rebecca (Kristin Davis) is also not too pleased that his obsession with justice is preventing him from attending parent-teacher day.

That is about the time that the shaggy dog breaks out of the labs and runs straight into the arms of Carly and her boyfriend. In the course of throwing the dog out of the house, Dave gets bitten. "Shaggy" is shipped off to the animal shelter, and Dave wakes up the next morning with doggie-like tendencies. He has the brazen nerve to bark at the judge, growl at the defendant, and obsessively lick his wounded hand. That's when the other shoe drops: in the course of visiting the dog at the pound, he turns into one. The Labs have had trouble isolating the chromosome that extends long life, resulting in dog-like emotions in their testing animals. It's much, much worse with Dave, who feels compelled to chase sticks, drool on his wife's shoes, and take long naps.

While in dog form, he cannot communicate with his family, and while in human form, he cannot make them believe his excuses. It's a bum deal all around and he sets out to right it, with the help of a few furry friends. The movie has its ups and downs. It's not as consistently funny as one might expect but then again, there are numerous priceless scenes. Dave chasing a cat down the street. Dave unrolling a six-inch tongue in the elevator. Dave nearly being held in contempt for growling at witnesses. There's the occasional wit, but it's mostly physical and visual humor that keep the audience snickering. The plot is pretty standard and the bad guys over the top, as is the norm for family comedies. One of the best things in the film is Robert Downy Jr. I guarantee you have never seen him like this before. The usual message of work jeopardizing family life is present, which is nice but getting old. Just once I would enjoy seeing some originality.

There is hardly any language and no sexual content, but other things might make parents concerned. Monks are shown praying to a statue of Buddha. Dave is encouraged to meditate in order to bring himself back to human form. Every time that he transforms, he's naked when he wakes up. The camera avoids details but we get the picture. The most overplayed crudeness is the obsession the dogs have with sniffing butts, human and canine alike. A police dog becomes aggressive in an elevator, pushing his head between Dave's legs. The neighbor's annoying bulldog uses Dave's front yard as his own personal fire hydrant. A snake's furry tail, as he slithers up Dave to the escape hatch, briefly rubs between his legs. Dave urinates in a public bathroom by lifting his leg (implied). Violence is limited but occasionally harsh: people and animals alike are stunned with a cow prod. A man injects a serum into a wheelchair-bound man's arm, resulting in mild seizures and a comatose-like state.

More politically minded individuals might object to the underlining message that labs have ulterior motives, and big businessmen are predominantly evil in nature. It doesn't drive its pro-animal rights point down too hard, but it's definitely there. It was cute. It was funny. It was worth it, but not one of the most memorable films I have ever seen in the genre.