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Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, Regina King, Tom McCarthy, Josh Pais ... see more see more... , John C. Reilly , Peter Sarsgaard , Amy Schlagel , Zoe Schlagel , Dale Godboldo , Inara George , Liza Weil , Jon Shere , Christy Moore , Audrey Wasilewski , Brenda Canela , Craig Cackowski , Steve Berg , Susan Mackin , Chuck Duffy , Sonya Eddy , Ursula Brauner , Giddle Partridge

An unremarkable administrative assistant finds her life going to the dogs both literally and figuratively in actor/screenwriter-turned-director Mike White's dark comedy drama. An inexplicably cheerful... read more read more... office worker whose somewhat sad excuse for a life seems to revolve around her pet beagle Pencil, Peggy (Molly Shannon) seems to relate better to her four-legged friend than she does to most humans. Most of her person-to-person interaction revolves around doting on other people's children and treating her co-workers to daily donuts, and Peggy just doesn't find much solace in the company of her know-it-all sister-in-law Bret (Laura Dern) or her anxiety-prone boss Robin (Josh Pais). When Peggy's dog Pencil is taken before his time, the devastated dog-lover is wracked with guilt. Now desperate to fill the gaping void that has suddenly opened in her life, Peggy agrees to a date with her gun-nut neighbor Al (John C. Reilly) that ends in disaster when she begins to suspect that the boorish brute may have in fact poisoned her ill-fated pooch. Later, after adopting every dog at the local pound and transforming herself into an overzealous animal-rights activist, the increasingly unhinged Peggy reaches out to asexual activist Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) in a last-grasp attempt at forming a human connection that is met with casual indifference. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

42% liked it

40,944 ratings

Critics

70% liked it

141 critics

PG, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Mike White

Release Date: April 13, 2007

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2007

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Stats: 2,140 reviews

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Giddle Partridge, holding a cast of her bust, for Breast Cancer. Year of the Dog
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Flixster Reviews (2,140)

  • MovieGeek13
    March 11, 2011
    MovieGeek13
    Year of the Dog, or what could also be called, The Life and TImes of an Animal Activist, focuses on Peggy, played with quirky yet lovable sentiment by Molly Shannon. Peggy is completely passive, and has no companionship in her life, except for her little dog. One day the dog dies... read more and Peggy is forced to cope with the reality of death, yet also the reality of life.
    In her grief, she meets Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) who works at a pet clinic. He also opens her eyes to an entire world/industry that abuses animals, kills them, and turns them into food. She begins a naiive yet noble campaign to save as many animals as she can and inform as many people as she can about what is being done to many animals in test labs, slaughterhouses, even in the pound.
    Director Mike White has a knack for creating oddball characters. They are aplenty here, but it makes the film feel like a Wes Anderson picture, which is never a bad thing. The cinematography by Tim Orr borrows a lot from Anderson, and Jonathan Demme, as characters are framed in the centre speaking directly into the camera. Regardless of the unoriginality, the film works as a strange yet touching comedy.
  • Redlats
    May 27, 2009
    Redlats
    This movie sucks. For Peggy, it seems dogs provide the love and attention she needs. But when tragedy strikes, Peggy goes a little crazy.

    But, I just don't see the point of the movie. It is agonizingly slow. The people in the movie are shallow. And it drives me crazy that P... read moreeggy couldn't see that she could be a dog-loving vegan if she wanted to, but no one can convince the whole world to turn into copies of herself.
  • kiriyamakazou
    April 28, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    Middle-aged Molly Shannon is distraught after the death of her dog. She tries to fill the void with dating, but eventually it all comes back to her connecting with animals more than humans. Shannon gives an excellent performance, at times sweet and at other times crazy. Her good ... read moreintentions start to be forced upon those close to her. Her family also play it well, as they seem overprotective and annoying, but certainly don't deserve some of Shannon's lashings. Sarsgaard is his excellent self in a sort of sad but uplifting role. Perhaps it all becomes a bit too sweet in the end, but the film has some wonderful comedic examples of passion vs. insanity.
  • paulsandberg
    November 13, 2008
    paulsandberg
    I found this script to be ofttimes juvinile and the charactors, although intended as such, written in extremely broad strokes. For a "comedy", even a dark one, it totally missed the mark except for the portrayal by Laura Dern as the upper middle class too PC for her own good, si... read morester in law.

    I love dogs and can understand how the loss of one can drive you to distraction, but so much of the plot seemed contrived and, to be honest, not very funny at all. Newt, the boyfriend never adequitly explains why he is celebate, and comes off as not a very good dog handler - though I don't know if this was by design or just laziness on the part of the writers.

    I was disturbed by the scene where the heroine confronts her neighbor saying that he killed her dog. OK, I can see why she may think that way, since he dog ate poison that was on his property, but that's just it - it was on HIS property, and her dog was trespassing. A more responsible dog owner would not have allowed her dog the possibility of wandering into harms way like that. Her portrayal as a dog lover shows her to be irresponsible and gives true dog owners a bad name.
  • romy861
    September 25, 2008
    romy861
    I was a bit mixed on how I felt about this one and what type of movie it is actually meant to be - I'm pretty sure it is a black comedy, although it's played very straight in places so at times I did briefly wonder if I was wrong. During the "mauling" scene I didn't know what it... read more was trying to do.. Not something that should be funny at all, but the crying was so over the top and the dog in the basket ect - it kept me from warming to it as much as I could have, because it's clearly not a funny situation. Generally I liked this, I liked the characters a lot and could certainly relate to them. Dare I admit there is a little of the Peggy in me! The bit with the beagle dying was the saddest thing I have seen in ages and literally had me in tears - a real credit to Molly Shannon's acting abilities, and she's not generally someone I would think of as a great actress. (Funny, yes, but not someone to take too seriously). I wish I could decide if this was actually good or not! It was certainly one of the more interesting movies I have seen in a while.
  • sononothing
    September 14, 2008
    sononothing
    This film is a waste. A waste of a good idea. A waste of my $.25. A huge waste of John C. Reilly, who is really the only redeeming factor of this film.

    Year of the Dog is about a secretary (Molly Shannon) whose beagle dies, leading her on a series of misadventures while becoming... read more an animal activist.

    This is not the film that the promotion advertises. What could have been a quirky comedy with a message becomes a 90 minute sermon about becoming vegan. That's all this is.The characters are idiotic, which is OK if they actually do something funny on screen.

    I'm not going to waste anymore time on this garbage. Euthanasia would be a better alternative to this movie.
  • RCCLBC
    July 31, 2008
    RCCLBC
    A sweet, quirky and touching little film.

    I'm not a HUGE Molly Shannon fan. I enjoy her sketch comedy characters, but I've yet to see one that I felt was feature film worthy. Normally (for me) after about 5-10 minutes they start to morph from funny to annoying.

    Fortunatel... read morey in this film Molly's character (Peggy) is a toned down version of what I would imagine the "real life" Molly to be. Molly's performance is (ultimately) quite endearing, though there are moments were you start to question her sanity. Which is a testament to her (under utilized) acting ability and a pretty good (if not a bit simple) script.

    Laura Dern is BRILLIANT in a supporting role as Peggy's uptight, suburbanite, sister-in-law.

    And Peter Sarsgaard is great as the asexual, vegan, animal activist. Who as you might imagine is a very complex & emotional mess.

    I think that there is a little something in here for just about everyone to relate to, but pet lovers (and vegans) in particular will really be able to related to much of "Peggy's" journey.
  • hobster1
    June 27, 2008
    hobster1
    Filled with characters you've never seen or probably ever will see. Molly Shannon's character is touching and pathetic all at the same time. It's funny.
  • CrookedlittleB33
    May 10, 2008
    CrookedlittleB33
    It's a bit mediocre...but most animal lover will probably have a biased opinion about it. Dealing with some pretty intense situations it shows us that sometimes we have stand up...no matter what everyone else thinks of us.

    [more review later]
  • deano
    March 3, 2008
    deano
    Molly Shannon does a career-transforming performance in this quirky comedy about the search for love - so heartfelt as well as I really love dogs.

View All Year of the Dog Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dana Stevens
May 4, 2007
Dana Stevens, Slate

Year of the Dog asks how far we should be willing to go for the love of animals, and for that matter, for love itself. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
April 27, 2007
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

White's humanist account of a woman more comfortable with animals than people is another intricately crosshatched sketch in his gallery of outsiders. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
April 27, 2007
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Much is said in little moments: The entire cast offers jots of humor and insight, from Reilly and Sarsgaard to Laura Dern as a spiny sister-in-law and Regina King as Layla, a vehemently supportive fri... Full Review

Tom Long
April 27, 2007
Tom Long, Detroit News

Year of the Dog is a feel-good, feel-bad movie about personal choice in the face of an overwhelming world. It brings more than you expect and leaves you wondering. How extraordinarily brave. Full Review

Terry Lawson
April 27, 2007
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

Year of the Dog has been perfectly cast, and Shannon is a small revelation; shorn of the antic energy she has invested in her sketch characters and, given an actual character to play, she accomplishes... Full Review

Robert Denerstein
April 27, 2007
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

Year of the Dog has a sweetly off-kilter quality about it, and it also lays claim to an additional virtue: It probably won't remind you of every other dog movie you've ever seen.

Lisa Kennedy
April 27, 2007
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Is it possible for a movie to anthromorphize humans? Full Review

J. R. Jones
April 27, 2007
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

Despite the gimmicky direction and a disappointing climax, this is a distinctive and unsettling comedy. Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
April 27, 2007
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

We're asked to laugh at her. Then we're asked to be ashamed of our laughter. It's a delicate balance, and White and his actors pull it off magnificently. Full Review

Roger Moore
April 26, 2007
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's a movie in mourning, a dark comedy where we never quite see the light at the end of the tunnel. Full Review

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