I will see just about any dog movie that gets released, and that includes the manipulative ones. The Art of Racing in the Rain both nails the essential qualities of the best of dog movies, but it does veer into melodramatic blandness in the second half, only to be saved by brilliantly poignant final moments. One of the film's main faults is that it never gets you to truly care about the dog's (Enzo) relationship to his human companions, mostly because they are some of the worst owners in the history of cinema, which is where you find a good chunk of the manipulative aspect of the story. But if there has ever been perfect casting, it's Kevin Costner as Enzo. Enzo is easily one of the best dogs in film, and that's worth watching.
7.0/10
7.0/10