''Bark!'' is a 2002 film written by Heather Morgan, directed by Katarzyna Adamik (the daughter of director Agnieszka Holland) and starring Morgan, Lee Tergesen, and

Lisa Kudrow Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She rose to fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004), which has since been named one of the greatest television cha ...

. The film debuted at the 2002

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...

, where it was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize. The "extremely low-budget" film,After ''Friends'': Looking for a Second Act
an August 18, 2002 article from ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' which had its origins in a 90-second comedy sketch,''Bark!'' Review
from '' Variety'' is about Lucy, a professional

dogwalker Dog walking is the act of a person walking with a dog, typically from the dog's residence and then returning. Leashes are commonly used for this. Both owners and pets receive many benefits, including exercise and companionship. Description D ...

(played by Morgan), who gradually assumes the identity of a dog. Tergesen plays Peter, her embarrassed husband, and Kudrow plays their veterinarian. '' Variety'', reviewing the film after its Sundance screening, said it "seems to be a throwback to the craziness-as-higher-expression-of-individuality school that was in vogue between '' The King of Hearts'' and ''

Harold and Maude ''Harold and Maude'' is a 1971 American romantic black comedy–drama film directed by Hal Ashby and released by Paramount Pictures. It incorporates elements of dark humor and existentialist drama. The plot follows the exploits of Harold Chas ...

'', noting "Lucy's withdrawal doesn't seem to spring from anything — unless urban life's everyday rudeness and an overbearingly suburban-banal family background count — and scene by scene, ''Bark!'' builds no discernible rhythm, viewpoint or mood apart from a faint, rudderless, shaggy-joke tenor. The film was screened at several film festivals, including the

Moscow International Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (russian: Моско́вский междунаро́дный кинофестива́ль, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is the film festival first h ...

, the Munich Film Festival, the Warsaw International Film Festival, and the

Cleveland International Film Festival The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is an annual film festival based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is the largest film festival in Ohio. It was first held in 1977, showing eight films over a period of eight weeks at the Cedar Lee Theatre. ...

, but never received a theatrical release. The film was eventually released on DVD in 2003 by TVA International.

Cast

* Lee Tergesen as Peter * Heather Morgan as Lucy *

as Darla *

Vincent D'Onofrio Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. His roles include Private Leonar ...

as Malcolm * Hank Azaria as Sam * Mary Jo Deschanel as Betty * Scott Wilson as Harold *Aimee Graham as Rebecca * Wade Andrew Williams as Tom

References

External links

* * 2002 films American independent films 2002 comedy films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films {{indie-film-stub