Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Strays hits all the Raunchy Comedy sweet spots with a fun, endearing story of revenge and belonging.
Reggie (Will Ferrell) has the world’s worst dog owner…he just doesn’t know it yet. But he soon finds out when horrendous owner Doug (Will Forte) drives him three hours from their home to abandon him. Reggie thinks it’s just a scary game he and Doug play, so he tries to get back to him. Then he meets stray Bug (Jamie Foxx) and his friends Maggie (Isla Fisher) and Hunter (Randall Park). They deliver the earth-shattering news that Doug abandoned Reggie and he’s now a stray. Bent on getting revenge for all the atrocities Doug committed, Reggie plans to bite Doug’s dick off. And his new pals are with him every step of the way.
Strays is a blast with four foul-mouthed fury friends that delivers side-splitting laughs throughout. The Script, written by Dan Perrault, is packed with hilarious moments from the tame – like how many spins it takes before a dog lays down – to the uninhibited – like what your pet may think when they hump everything and anything they want. The range in humour (although it does lean heavily to the uninhibited) allows audience members to find something worth howling about.
Although Strays is an all-around great time with man’s-best-friend…it should come with a warning. There are moments, particularly in the beginning, that are difficult to watch. We see Reggie be repeatedly neglected, mocked and shoved away. These moments are heartbreaking but integral to the narrative. The ever-delightful Forte sells himself of the vile Doug. He’s a man that will have audiences yelling obscenities at the screen — and rightfully so.
The Film boasts an all-star Cast who lends their voice talents to these lovable furballs. The stand-out is Foxx, as the scrappy Bug, who delivers some of the most memorable lines. Ferrell excels at giving Reggie his naive outlook on Doug and life as a stray. It’s great to have the brilliant comedic Fisher back on screen and she gets to use her real accent as the Australian Shepard Maggie. And Park is pitch-perfect as the timid Hunter who is well-hung.
Perrault and Director Josh Greenbaum deliver a hilarious paw-printed journey of revenge while touching on the theme of abuse. The story of Reggie and Doug applies not only to human-animal relationships but all relationships. Doug abuses Reggie yet he still wants to go back to him. Even more upsetting, he blames himself for Doug’s abuse. It’s not until he sees what real love and care is from his doggie pals that he understands Doug is the problem. Hats off to the Filmmakers who’ve entwined this important message within an outrageously funny R-rated Comedy.
Universal Pictures Canada release STRAYS in theatres Friday, August 18, 2023.
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