Dog Park (film)

Dog Park
Film Poster
Directed by Bruce McCulloch
Produced by Susan Cavan
Written by Bruce McCulloch
Starring
Music by Craig Northey
Cinematography David A. Makin
Edited by Norman Buckley
Christopher Cooper
Production
company
Independent Pictures
Accent Entertainment
Distributed by New Line Cinema (USA) Lions Gate Entertainment (Canada)
Release date
  • September 14, 1998 (1998-09-14) (Canada)
  • September 24, 1999 (1999-09-24) (United States)
Running time
 91 minutes
Country US/Canada
Language English
Box office $250,147[1]

Dog Park is a 1998 American/Canadian romantic comedy film written and directed by Bruce McCulloch.

Plot

The main character Andy is a writer of newspaper classified ads who has been going from relationship to relationship since eighth grade. He loses custody of his dog when his girlfriend, Cheryl, breaks up with him for another man. Andy then meets Lorna, a children's TV show host, but she is too obsessed with her own dog to commit to a relationship with anyone. She's also still hurt emotionally because her boyfriend Trevor, left her for Andy's ex, Cheryl.

Andy also has a fling with another woman, Keiran. Meanwhile, Cheryl takes Andy's dog to a psychiatrist, who tells her that her promiscuity is traumatizing the dog. While both Andy and Cheryl do their best to share custody, problems arise as Cheryl and Trevor break up and she tries to win Andy back unsuccessfully. Keiran figures out Jeri's boyfriend Jeff is having an affair. Lorna goes out with a guy named callum. It's not much of date, but he helps her out in a big way. Both Andy and Lorna have feelings for each other, but aren't sure how to follow through with it. Andy being with Kieran and Lorna being with Trevor help them come to a very important conclusion.

Cast

Reception

Dog Park received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film currently holds 36% of apravation, based on 25 reviews.[2] At Metacritic it holds a 46/100 score, based on 14 reviews.[3] Mick LaSalle from San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "Dog Park is clever and pleasant and holds interest. Janeane Garofalo is restrained as a cynical and sensitive magazine editor, and Bruce McCulloch, who wrote the script and directed the picture, plays her boyfriend. He gives himself a couple of strong moments but otherwise keeps his focus where it belongs, on Wilson."[4] Ken Fox from TV Guide gave the movie three out of five stars.[5] Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly gave it a B- grade and wrote: "No disrespect is meant by saying that this shambling romantic comedy, written and directed by "Kids in the Hall" alum Bruce McCulloch, clings to a sensibility that’s imperviously, uncompromisingly Canadian. The pace, the punchlines, and the characters of Dog Park all land just a little north of target, even though the notion that canine playgrounds make good pickup grounds for humans would appear to be an imperviously, uncompromisingly L.A. idea."[6]

Awards

  • Genie Awards[7]
    • Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Mark McKinney
    • Nominated for Best Original Screenplay — Bruce McCulloch
  • Canadian Comedy Awards
    • Nominated for Film Directing — Bruce McCulloch
    • Nominated for Film Writing — Bruce McCulloch
    • Nominated for Film Performance Male — Mark McKinney

References

  1. ↑ "Dog Park". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  2. ↑ "Dog Park". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  3. ↑ "Dog Park". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  4. ↑ LaSalle, Mick. "Love Unleashed in `Dog Park' / Wilson and Henstridge's tails get wagging in pleasant comedy". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  5. ↑ Fox, Ken. "Dog Park". TV Guide. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Schwarzbaum, Lisa. "Dog Park". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Sunshine, Felicia's Journey top Genie Awards". CBC News. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
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