Entertainment

Woof! ‘Strays’ Makes a Mess It Can’t Fairly Clear Up

If you’ve ever settled into your couch to watch the family classic “Homeward Bound” and found yourself musing, “Gee, I wish this film had a risqué twist featuring dogs on psychedelic journeys and raucous escapades,” then it’s time to pop the champagne—there’s finally a movie that caters to your oddly specific tastes. Mark your calendars for August 18, as “Strays” trots its way into cinemas, offering a comical joyride that’s bound to get tails wagging… or tucked between legs in shock. Featuring star-studded voice talent like Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, this hard-R comedy aims to irreverently modernize the cinematic canine legacy. It’s as if it took its inspiration from films like “Ted,” “Sausage Party,” and “Good Boys,” where childhood innocence meets adult-level debauchery with hilarious—and often scandalous—results.

In this quirky tale, we follow the age-old narrative of a dog trying to find its way home. However, “Strays” catapults the theme into an edgy realm, loaded with NSFW elements that could give any traditional dog story paws—err, pause. Will Forte lends his voice to Doug, a downright dumpster fire of a human who can’t even come within sniffing distance of a school zone. His daily routine is a mixture of self-gratification and nurturing grudges, especially against an ex-girlfriend he cheated on. For Doug, his dog Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), is less a pet and more a pawn in a toxic game of spite. Our four-legged hero finds himself abandoned in the big city, referred to by such affectionate names as “dungheap,” “imbecile,” and other terms that would make your grandma clutch her pearls.

As we descend further into this urban jungle, Reggie encounters a seedy underbelly full of canine vagabonds and miscreants. It’s here that he meets Bug, voiced by Jamie Foxx, a canine guru who schools him in the dog-eat-dog world. Tagging along are Maggie, a professional sniffer voiced by the underutilized Isla Fisher, and cone-headed Hunter, portrayed by Randall Park. Throughout their journey, which includes a night of chaotic debauchery ranging from ransacking a local pizzeria to performing lewd acts on garden statuary, Reggie comes to realize that Doug isn’t some misunderstood genius but a genuinely terrible human being.

The ensuing narrative becomes a raunchy road trip adventure, as this quartet of misfit mutts embarks on a quest that would make even the most jaded human blush. From daring escapes involving unspeakable substances to close encounters with fireworks at a county fair, the movie covers ground as varied as it is distasteful. While some gags stand out for their wit—like the dogs pondering why humans are so intent on collecting their feces—others, such as their inexplicable aversion to mail carriers, fall flat.

What’s intriguing is that despite its eyebrow-raising previews, “Strays” boasts an impressive creative team behind the scenes. Josh Greenbaum, the director who brought us the cult hit “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” joins forces with Dan Perrault, the mind behind the criminally short-lived Netflix mockumentary “American Vandal.” Together, they manage to mine some comedic gold, from an inspired soundtrack choice featuring Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” to scenes of outrageous rabbit carnage.

However, “Strays” struggles to maintain a consistent level of humor throughout its brisk 90-minute run. By the time the film exhausts its tenth canine copulation joke or explores the puzzling ritual of dogs circling before lying down, it feels like it’s running on fumes. And while the sudden swerve into sentimental themes toward the end isn’t uncommon for R-rated comedies, here it feels jarring.

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While it’s unlikely to snag any prestigious awards, “Strays” isn’t entirely a waste of time. The film has its moments—fleeting glimpses of comedic brilliance buried amid the refuse. It’s akin to sifting through the garbage to find those few morsels of leftover gourmet pizza; not everyone’s cup of tea, perhaps, but certainly an experience that some might find rewarding in its own right.

Grade: C-

Watch Strays in theaters beginning Aug. 18.

Subsequent, The Finest films of 2023 (So Far)

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