I love the tagline of the movie, “Dog”, starring Channing Tatum.
“A filthy animal unfit for human company and a…DOG.” Pretty much sums it up.
I saw this earlier this year when it first came out and I liked it enough but it’s not going to win any awards. Except the dog. Dog was awesome. Lulu, played by three Belgian Malinois canines, is portrayed as an incredibly smart mischief-maker.
Channing Tatum plays Jackson Briggs, a U.S. Army Ranger suffering from PTSD, tries to apply for a rotation position in Pakistan, but is deemed unfit for service due to his mental health issues. He is notified that his former partner and friend, Riley Rodriguez, was killed in a car accident the night before. With a dog named Lulu by his side, Army Ranger Briggs races down the Pacific Coast to make it to a soldier’s funeral on time. Along the way, Briggs and Lulu drive each other completely crazy, break a handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.
This is a road trip buddy movie. Briggs is tasked with getting Lulu, or as he calls her, Dog, to attend her owner’s funeral service in Arizona. The plan is that because Lulu has a history of aggressive behavior, after the service she will be euthanized. There are the dog-equals-destruction scenes and they are very relatable for those of us have had a dog experiencing separation anxiety.
The movie has enough funny parts to make it work, but really, this is a story about a broken man and a grieving dog trying to communicate their needs to each other. It’s about understanding the value of a person and a dog who both have PTSD after serving their country.
When Tatum agreed to direct and star in “Dog” he said he had one rule. The dog doesn’t die. Fair enough.
I won’t spoil the movie for those of you planning on seeing it. Let’s just say he got his choice and his character grew to love Lulu and, together, they are looking at healthier and happier futures.
“Dog” resonated with me because I adopted my dog when I was as broken as Tatum’s character. And my dog destroyed my house that first night. Together we figured out how to communicate with each other and we helped each other on a path towards healing and happiness.
I think there are many of you here who can relate to this movie and the dynamics between humans and dogs.
Spoiler alert. Happy ending.