PLOT: A former army ranger (Channing Tatum) is tasked with delivering a fallen comrade’s service dog to his funeral down the Pacific Coast from Washington to Arizona.
REVIEW: Dog marks Channing Tatum’s directorial debut, with him having helmed this alongside longtime business partner Reid Carolin, who also wrote the screenplay. It happens to be Tatum’s first starring role in several years, and it certainly works as a solid, low-key star vehicle for the likeable actor. Early in his career, Tatum was easily dismissed. Still, after a few films with Steven Soderbergh, Tatum morphed into a legitimately terrific actor who ranks as one of the savviest stars in the biz. He knows exactly how to showcase himself, with Dog aimed at a broad audience. Because really, who doesn’t love dogs?
While this could have easily become a silly buddy comedy, like K-9 or Turner & Hooch, Dog does try to tackle meatier material, with Tatum’s character a vet reduced to working at Subway after a head-wound left him ineligible for combat or a lucrative private contractor gig. However, his former commanding officer’s promise of a recommendation to a security outfit leads to him transporting this service dog across the country. The cute pooch, Lulu, has her own problems, with her left a vicious dog after brutal tours of duty. She’s so dangerous that she’s slated to be put down, but the Army is willing to give her a few days reprieve so she can be at the funeral of the soldier who worked with her at war.
The trailers seem to be emphasizing the comedy side of this movie, and indeed there are hijinx, such as Lulu’s blocking Tatum’s attempts to hook up or a set-piece where he pretends to be a blind vet to get a free room at a pricey hotel. This is a drama for the most part though, with the two wounded soldiers bonding over their cross-country journey. It’s The Last Detail with a dog. It may not be as good as that movie, but it’s a lot better than the follow-up, Last Flag Flying.
It’s a two-hander, with Tatum in virtually every scene, and his chemistry with the three dogs who play Lulu is terrific. Tatum is a dog person (the movie is dedicated to his deceased pup, also named Lulu), and the pooch is an adorable Belgian Malinois you would be desperate to adopt if you ever met her in real life. It’s definitely a tear-jerker, with some excellent set-pieces, such as a nice bit with a now hulking Ethan Suplee as a former military pal of Tatum’s who has another Malinois he’s managed to rehabilitate, giving us hope for Lulu’s future. Bill Burr also has a cameo as a racist cop Tatum has to deal with, while wrestler Kevin Nash and Jane Adams play some weed-farmers they befriend in their travels.
While Dog is undoubtedly a low-key debut for Tatum as a director, it’s still a slick, well-made studio film that would probably be a significant word-of-mouth hit if it came out in a pre-Covid world. Nowadays, with the industry’s changing landscape, it seems more likely heading to a quick streaming release after its theatrical run. Still, it’s a crowd-pleaser and a more than decent family flick, even if you might want to have a few tissues handy.
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