''The Dog Problem'' is a 2006
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
written and directed by
Scott Caan
Scott Andrew Caan (born August 23, 1976) is an American actor, director, photographer, writer, and former rapper. He received his breakthrough role in ''Ocean’s Eleven'' as Turk Malloy who he played in the ''Ocean's (film series), Ocean’s t ...
. Along with Caan, the film stars
Giovanni Ribisi
Antonino Giovanni Ribisi (; born December 17, 1974) is an American actor known for his starring roles in the TV series ''Sneaky Pete'' and the films ''Avatar'' (2009), '' Lost in Translation'' (2003), ''Ted'' (2012) and its sequel ''Ted 2'' (201 ...
,
Lynn Collins
Viola Lynn Collins (born May 16, 1977) is an American actress. She has made television appearances in ''True Blood'' (2008), '' Manhunt: Unabomber'' (2017) and '' The Walking Dead'' (2021–2022), and is recognized for her roles in films such a ...
,
Kevin Corrigan
Kevin Corrigan (born ) is an American character actor. He has appeared mostly in independent films and television since the 1990s, including as Uncle Eddie on the sitcom ''Grounded for Life'' (2001–2005). His film appearances include support ...
,
Sarah Shahi
Aahoo Jahansouzshahi ( fa, آهو جهانسوز شاهی; born ), known professionally as Sarah Shahi (), is an American actress and former model. She played Carmen on ''The L Word'' in 2005, Kate Reed in the USA Network legal drama ''Fairly Leg ...
, and
Mena Suvari
Mena Alexandra Suvari (; born February 13, 1979) is an American actress, producer, fashion designer and model. After beginning her career as a model and guest-starring on several television shows, she made her film debut in the 1997 drama '' Now ...
.
Don Cheadle
Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (; born November 29, 1964) is an American actor. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned ...
appears in an uncredited role. The film premiered at the
2006 Toronto International Film Festival
The 31st Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 7 to September 16, 2006. Opening the festival was Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn's ''The Journals of Knud Rasmussen'', a film that "explores the history of the through the eyes of a ...
and was released on DVD on August 28, 2007.
Plot
Solo Harrington is a down-on-his-luck writer who has published an unsuccessful novel and accrued heavy debt on drugs and therapy. After being encouraged by his psychiatrist Dr. Nourmand to get a dog, Solo gets himself a scrawny little terrier, but the dog irritates him to the point that Solo doesn't give it a name. Casper, Solo's womanizing best friend, suggests that Solo sell the dog to Jules, a wealthy dog-lover, in order to pay off Benny, a loan shark who regular threatens Solo.
At a
dog park
A dog park is a park for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners.
Description
Dog parks have varying features, although they typically offer a 4' to 6' fence, separate double-gated ...
, Solo meets Lola and becomes romantically interested in her. When Lola's pit bull injures Solo's unnamed dog, Solo must take him to the vet, borrowing money from Lola in the process.
Solo and Lola's friendship blossoms into the potential for romance, but a series of problems stands in the way of the couple. Solo also starts to form a bond with his dog, which complicates his situation when Jules decides she wants the dog for herself.
Cast
Reception
''The Dog Problem'' premiered at the 2006
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
.
[
Based on 8 critics' reviews on ]Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, ''The Dog Problem'' has an approval rating of 63%.
Erik Childress of eFilmCritic.com said the film is, "a romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
which doesn't force its charm down your throat and instead allows the viewer in to peek around its quirks and discover the true heart beating within." David Nusair of ''Reel Film Reviews'' called it "a quirky, thoroughly lightweight film that’s generally elevated by several engaging performances and Scott Caan’s confident, almost cocky directorial choices." Eddie Cockrell of ''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' wrote the film "is a distinct change of pace or Caan reining in the testosterone of 2003's ''Dallas 362
''Dallas 362'' is a 2003 film, starring and directed by Scott Caan. This film was Caan's debut as a director.
The movie won the Critics Award at the 2003 CineVegas International Film Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Plot
Rusty, played by Shawn Hat ...
'' in favor of a moderately more benevolent worldview," and said "Collins displays an innate understanding of comedic timing", but said it is also "off-puttingly mannered" and the ending appeared to be lifted from the end of 2004's ''Sideways
''Sideways'' is a 2004 American comedy-drama road film directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, ''Sideways'' follows two men in their forties, Miles Raymo ...
''.[ In his review for '']Screen Daily
''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company.
The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...
'', Patrick Z. McGavin said, "The visual highpoint - a sequence that explains the dog's brief disappearance - reveals a young film-maker whose progress and maturity warrants full consideration."
Music
The film features a score by Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh (; born May 18, 1950) is an American composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead singer and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose " Whip It" was a top 2 ...
, and the music used during the title sequence is based on the Devo
Devo (, originally ) is an American rock band from Akron, Ohio, formed in 1973. Their classic line-up consisted of two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs (Mark and Bob) and the Casales (Gerald and Bob), along with Alan Myers. The band had a ...
song "Gut Feeling".
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dog Problem, The
2006 romantic comedy films
2006 films
2006 comedy films
2006 independent films
American romantic comedy films
Films about writers
Films about pets
Films set in Los Angeles
Films scored by Mark Mothersbaugh
2000s English-language films
2000s American films