Oliver (Oliver Cooper) is your typical twenty-something with big dreams but little motivation to really pursue them. He lives with his Aunt Becca (Rebecca Goldstein) and spends his days hanging out with his former acting classmate Dan (Dan Bakkedahl). Oliver is a sweet kid but also a dreamer who seems much too content wiling away his days doing random chores around the house and spending time with his friend. Four Dogs gives audiences a natural look into Oliver’s world without placing him in an overly complicated narrative or one surrounded by metaphors. However, this simple conceit works as Cooper delivers a captivating performance making Oliver awkward, funny and honest all at once. Cooper may be an “out of work actor,” but the different characters he tries out while bored at home show a real sense of comedic brilliance, proving Oliver may have some true talent and be more than a kid with stars in his eyes...
- 6/13/2014
- by Allison Loring
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Joss Whedon's decision to sell his latest movie using Vimeo has inspired “Californication” star Oliver Cooper and director Joe Burke to do the same. “Four Dogs,” which Cooper and Burke produced for $25,000, will be released exclusively on Vimeo June 10. Set in Hollywood, the movie is about a struggling actor named Oliver (Cooper) who passes his days with a friend from acting school and his aunt's dogs. A friend of his aunt shows up and interrupts their routine of lounging by the pool and cruising around town. Co-starring Dan Bakkedahl of “Veep,” it premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
- 5/22/2014
- by Lucas Shaw
- The Wrap
Since his scene-stealing performance in the found-footage teen comedy “Project X,” Oliver Cooper has shared the screen with Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in “Runner Runner” and starred in “Four Dogs,” an indie movie he co-wrote and produced. Cooper made such an impression on “Project X” producer Todd Phillips that the director gave him a small part in “The Hangover Part III.” He most recently wrapped Joe Dante's horror comedy “Burying the Ex.” Cooper's comedic chops landed him an unlikely role as the son of David Duchovny and Heather Graham's characters on the final season of Showtime's “Californication.
- 4/21/2014
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
One of our favorite films from L.A. Film Fest last week was the lo-fi dramedy “Four Dogs,” about two unlikely friends making it through the Hollywood doldrums. Our review called it, "unflinchingly honest in its portrayal of this little pocket of humanity, it finds both the pathos and humor in the moments of real life that are truly funny and truly sad." We had a chance to catch up with the film’s writer/director Joe Burke, actor/writer Oliver Cooper, and actor Dan Bakkedahl to talk about reality vs. fiction, the most important element in comedy (and drama) and what it’s like to play yourself onscreen. Here are a few highlights from our conversation. Sometimes the best inspiration is right in front of you. Writer/director Burke says about the mix of reality and fiction (Cooper and his aunt Becca play themselves in the film), “I really...
- 6/28/2013
- by Katie Walsh
- The Playlist
The top stories of the week from Toh! Interviews: Laff Q &A: "Only God Forgives" Director Winding Refn Talks Gosling's Hands, Scott Thomas's "Bitch Switch" Almodovar Talks Raucous Airplane Comedy "I'm So Excited": "Welcome to the Party!" (Trailer) Emmy Watch: Noah Emmerich Talks TV vs. Movies, "The Americans" Reviews: Memoir of a Hollywood Raconteur: Curtis Harrington's "Nice Guys Don't Work in Hollywood" Weekend Picks: "Monsters," Pirates, Terrorists and Zombies Review and Roundup: Stakes are High on Brad Pitt's "World War Z" Update Features: Immersed in Movies: How VFX Supervisor Farrar Fixed the Zombies in "World War Z" (Clip) Festivals: Laff "Venus Vs." Review: Venus Williams Fights for Gender Equality at Wimbledon in Ava DuVernay's Rousing Sports Doc Laff Review: Lake Bell's "In a World" a Hilarious Feminist Comedy About the Power of Voice Laff Review: Joe Burke's "Four Dogs" Is Breezy Buddy Showbiz...
- 6/21/2013
- by TOH!
- Thompson on Hollywood
The debut directorial feature from Joe Burke, “Four Dogs,” could be aptly subtitled, “Down and Out in Hollywood,” as it centers on Oliver (Oliver Cooper), a struggling actor, and his acting class buddy, Dan (Dan Bakkedahl). But in actuality, the Hollywood struggle story is really only a surface conceit; the film is really about the love and support one can find in the unlikeliest of people and relationships. Largely improvised, and willfully blurring reality and fiction, “Four Dogs” straddles the line between drama and comedy. Unflinchingly honest in its portrayal of this little pocket of humanity, it finds both the pathos and humor in the moments of real life that are truly funny and truly sad. Oliver Cooper plays himself as young struggling actor Oliver, living in his aunt Becca’s (Rebecca Goldstein) house, walking her dogs, and taking care of the house while she is away working as a flight attendant.
- 6/19/2013
- by Katie Walsh
- The Playlist
While micro-budget, plotless indies about sad sack dudes and their lonely lives are old hat at a time when anyone can pick up a camera and shoot, Joe Burke's "Four Dogs," a narrative competition Laff world premiere, stands a cut above as a portrait of two emotionally impotent man-children.A prolific director of short films for nearly a decade, Burke makes his theatrical feature debut with this easy, breezy comedy about a pair of hapless guys drifting aimlessly through existence. Moving at a leisurely, episodic pace, the film captures the meandering sway of life as an low-on-luck actor in Los Angeles. Burke funded the film via family and friends and shot it at the San Fernando Valley home of leading man Oliver Cooper (who played a pervy party animal in "Project X"). He's well-cast as adrift and astray 22-year-old Oliver, who leads a deadbeat life at his chain-smoking aunt's house,...
- 6/18/2013
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
The more well known titles are in the Summer Showcase section, after the jump. Narrative Competition: All Together Now, Alexander Mirecki – USA – World Premiere Forev, Molly Green, James Leffler – USA...
- 5/1/2013
- by Sasha Stone
- AwardsDaily.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.