by RICHARD ALAN DUNKLE

Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hr 38 mins
Writer/Director: Mike White
Producers: Mike White, Jack Black, Dede Gardner, Ben LeClair
Cast: Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, Regina King, Thomas McCarty, Josh Pais, John C. Reilly, Peter Sarsgaard

From the man who brought us Nacho Libre, The School of Rock, and Orange County comes this quirky comedy about a woman obsessed with animals, and the eccentric people in her life. Writer/Director Mike White teamed up with actor-turned-producing partner Jack Black to bring to the big screen this outrageous farce featuring the best combination of comedic actors and individualized characters ever seen in one film.

Molly Shannon shines as Peggy, a dog-loving secretary whose life dramatically changes after her long-time companion and cute canine, Pencil, dies accidentally outside her next-door neighbor’s garage. The plot is relatively simple: depressed by the death of Pencil, Peggy adopts a formerly abused dog, Valentine, who ultimately dies as well after mauling another dog to death. But while the plot is important, it’s ultimately less important than how Peggy reacts to these situations, and to the perfectly-conceived supporting cast of characters in her life that makes this film such a fun yet poignant romp.

Peter Sarsgaard surprises as the feminine animal clinic volunteer, Newt, who brings Valentine to Peggy after witnessing her heartbreak following the death of Pencil. Though Sarsgaard is outside his normal acting range, he succeeds brilliantly as the animal rights protesting, sexually ambivalent vegan target of Peggy’s affection. At moments, Newt’s innocence, charm and love of animals forces us to root for he and Peggy to get together, and at other times his strict adherence to pet-caretaking principles spurns feelings of ill-will. But Sarsgaard pulls off both ends of the spectrum flawlessly and should be recognized for such.

Regina King plays Peggy’s best friend and co-worker Layla who was gifted with the best lines in the film. When Layla discusses the possibility of marriage to a heart-broken Peggy, Layla assures her best friend that there is someone out there for her. After all, “even retarded people get married,” she says. King brings vibrant intensity to White’s well-chosen words and, despite her outlandish quality, Layla becomes the most relatable character in the film, mostly due to King’s engaging presence on screen.

Far from relatable are Peggy’s ultra enlightened yet overly protective brother and sister-in-law who view Peggy’s actions from higher-than-thou plateaus. Laura Dern as Bret simply captures the screen with her nuanced portrayal of the matriarch of a reputable family whose image Peggy would severely stain. And yet, Dern’s Bret shows legitimate compassion towards Peggy’s plight and, along with Thomas McCarty’s ego-diffused Pier, the young couple accepts Peggy’s uniqueness into their home, despite a polarizing lack of understanding towards what she stands for. Dern and McCarty steal every scene they’re in and skillfully play off one another to create a brilliantly subtle dynamic that will leave audiences laughing out loud.

John C. Reilly plays Al, Peggy’s next-door neighbor who, at first supportive of Peggy’s plight, falls out of favor with her when Peggy accuses him of poisoning Pencil, albeit unintentionally. As Peggy spirals further and further out of control, Al’s patience for the inconsolable woman diminishes, especially after she breaks into his house and tries to kill him in what could very well be the best scene in the film. Reilly and Shannon’s on-screen chemistry is superb as these two comic luminaries stand off against one another, masterfully navigating serious and farcical moments without pause.

Josh Pais rounds out the cast as Robin, a neurotic corporate type and Peggy’s boss who is certain that upper management is conspiring against him. When Robin discovers Peggy has been making unauthorized donations to pet sanctuaries in his name, his feeling of betrayal actually comes off as believable despite every other word out of his mouth being egocentric and selfishly contrived. But when Peggy is arrested following her mental breakdown, Robin is the first to welcome her back into the company’s fold.

Year of the Dog is a comedy about very little, that says so much. Certainly almost everyone can relate to the death of a pet, but this film manages to blend the funny, outrageous moments, with the honest, emotional ones and the end result is a masterful expression of life in its simplest form—love. Behind each supporting character there is a genuine love for Peggy and a personal recognition of the grief that she is undergoing.

Never before has a more diverse and unique group of characters been so perfectly portrayed by great actors as in this film. Each actor brought depth and complexity to their roles and a fantastic script paved the way for a brilliant film. Come awards-season, this may very well be remembered as the year of the dog.