Film Reviews

The Shaggy Dog

• Rating:
• Director: Brian Robbins
• Starring: Kristin Davis
• Details: US, 98mins, G.

Hot-shot lawyer Dave Douglas' (Allen) new case, a break-and-entry to a top-secret animal testing lab by an animal rights activist, is causing problems at home as it will take him away from his family who want to spend more time with him. When a sheep dog escapes from the lab in question and bites dog-hater Dave on the hand, turning him into a dog overnight, DaveShaggy has no choice but to break into the secret lab and find a cure. But with dastardly lab supervisor (Downey Jr) in his way, this proves harder than first thought.
A loose remake (there's that word again) of the 1959 Fred MacMurray movie, The Shaggy Dog is pitched squarely at kids but it's a failure even at that. So formulaic it could be baby food, the little tykes will be so bored watching this dull 'comedy', Gameboys will be broken out in their hundreds before the half-hour mark. They will be disappointed at the lack of dog-related jokes and the fact that the transformation from man to dog happens off-screen (no one was expecting An American Werewolf In London metamorphosis scene, but come on). Downey Jr., who has just made an impressive comeback with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Goodnight and Good Luck, is currently doing a 'John Travolta' - who skated on thin ice with a string of clangers after Tarantino resurrected his career - makes a pointless appearance in a role anyone could have done in their sleep. Dog-related comments are all too easy - this mutt of a movie has fleas, the director should be put down, Allen is 'dogged' by a lack of talent, jokes gone a-stray, the script should have been buried at the bottom of the garden, ca-nein, etc. Have more respect for your kids and don't bring them to this.

Review by Gavin Burke