Anthony's Film Review - Strays (2023)

Underneath the crude and vulgar humor is a goofy comedy that makes us better appreciate dogs...

As I am starting to write this review, I am thinking of an old movie I saw that featured an unforgettable portrayal of talking animals: the 1995 film Babe. Computer animation made it possible to have the animals' mouth and lip movements sync with the performance of voice actors. It was so impressive that I don't really recall any other live-action movie with talking animals done with the same method. That is, until the middle of the year 2023 when the comedy movie Strays comes along. Here, we have talking live-action dogs instead of talking live-action farm animals. It's also the complete opposite of Babe in terms of the target audience, appropriate for adults only.

If you've seen the trailer for Strays like I did, you may naturally assume that this is a comedy that is crude, dirty, and vulgar just for the sake of shock value. After all, the talking dogs are not at all the kind you see in a family film, uttering nonstop filth. Then there's the main dog who wants to get revenge on his abusive owner in a very cruel way: biting off his penis. But before you decide to skip it because of the trailer, why don't you take a moment to hear me out now that I've seen the movie? You'll be surprised to know that the trailer is somewhat deceptive, suggesting a terrible movie that in reality is not as bad as one might think. Allow me to elaborate.

The movie begins with Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), a little dog who seems quite happy living with his owner Doug (played by Will Forte). From our standpoint, that joy isn't natural at all. It is clear that Doug is a selfish, uncaring, and abusive dog owner, and Reggie is mistaking Doug's various actions as being done out of love. The denial is the sort of thing that often occurs with people on the receiving end of abusive relationships. One day, when Doug abandons Reggie in a city alley, the little dog still expects to come home, thinking he's just playing a fun game.

Rounding out the main cast of characters are three other dogs. Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is a foul-mouthed street-smart canine who savors his freedom as a stray dog. Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher) is a female dog who isn't afraid to talk trash either. Hunter (voiced by Randall Park) is a big dog with a plastic cone around his head and neck. Altogether, these three dogs plus Reggie form a pack of strays that experience new adventures. However, it's not all fun and games, because all four embark on a journey to Doug's house where Reggie, with the help of his new friends, will carry out his revenge plan. Yes, what I just explained above.

There's enough of a story to provide a purpose for the dogs' actions, and it is interesting to follow. Still, the real fun of the movie is the humor. There's essentially two kinds of it. The first is obvious: vulgarity in dialogue and action. The second is what ultimately won me over: the canine perspective of the world. It is funny to hear the dogs' observations of both human behavior and canine behavior. Some of it is funny because the dogs are misinterpreting certain customs in the human world, such as what Bug thinks humans do with dog poop after scooping it. Otherwise, it's mainly funny because the dog perspective provides clever twists on things about humans and dogs we are familiar with, making us look at them in a different way. One great example of this is the scene where fireworks are going off. If you know anything about being a dog owner on the 4th of July, you can guess what happens here, yet you may still laugh because the perspective is not the familiar human one.

This movie is just a little over 90 minutes long, yet there are plenty of amusing moments during this canine adventure. The four dogs enjoy sex with inanimate objects, steal food from humans, and even urinate on each other. There are also dangers in both the human world and the natural world, and they have to use their wits to survive it all. Then there are other dogs that they encounter along the way, including shelter dogs and police dogs. It's nice to have plenty of supporting canine characters for extra laughs.

In the beginning, I thought this movie would be just OK and enjoyable enough, kind of like Cocaine Bear. In the end, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It's one of those movies where the adult humor on the surface may be a turn-off for some, but the smart story and humor underneath, if you look for it, make it worthwhile. The main cast is also more likable than I expected. I'm talking about both the canine actors and the human voice actors. Once the end credits rolled after one mid-credits scene that nicely ends the movie, I nodded with approval and satisfaction. Strays is a comedy about dogs that also makes me better understand and appreciate these precious animals. Don't worry. I am nothing like Doug in this movie.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Strays, visit the Internet Movie Database.