Strays delivers a dog movie like you’ve never seen before. Not just raunchy, it also has a lot of heart, although tough to watch for dog lovers at times.
Quite possibly the first R-rated dog movie, Strays pushes the envelope time and time again. While it doesn’t shy away from earning that rating, it is sure to also deliver some heart, as viewers will instantly fall in love with these dogs. It is impossible not to root for them to succeed in their mission.
Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Strays would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.
In Strays, Reggie (Will Ferrell) is abandoned by his owner. Bug (Jamie Foxx) discovers him and decides to help him learn the way of the streets. However, once Reggie comes to the realization that his human, Doug, never cared about him, he wants to enact revenge. The two dogs team up with two more, Hunter (Randall Park) and Maggie (Isla Fisher), to go on a journey to do just that.
Strays is sure to never go too far, in terms of animal cruelty, but it does walk a fine line. Will Forte’s character, Doug, needs to be completely unlikable for the movie to work. And he is. He is a horrible human being who clearly has a hatred for Reggie, and all dogs. He is selfish and lazy, and brings absolutely nothing to the table.
Considering that he loves dogs himself, Will Forte does a fantastic job in this role. Due to his performance, the writing, and the directing, he is able to walk that fine line that keeps the audience hating him without him having to get too abusive. These are real animals that star in Strays, not CGI dogs, so it was necessary that they are not placed in danger of being injured.
Thankfully points are made in ways that easy enough to stomach for the most part, although there are scenes that could be hard for animal lovers, and especially dog lovers, to watch.
In terms of what earns this film its R-rating, there are a lot of things. The dogs have quite the potty mouths, especially Bug, and there are some sexual situations. Strays also features drug use by both humans and dogs. While the majority of this works, there are some jokes that don’t land.
With a comedy of this caliber, that is sure to happen every now and then. That said, each joke is likely to work for certain members of the audience, and none of them are cringey or completely unfunny.
You cannot help but be impressed that a ninety minute movie, staring real dogs, was not a complete mess. This is a testament to the trainers and the patience of the crew. It seems as if every dog was in their place at the right time, which couldn’t have been an easy feat. Of course, CGI was used to move their mouths because dogs don’t talk. This was pulled off flawlessly as well.
When it comes to the storyline of Strays, it falls more on the predictable side, but thanks to lots of shocking comedic surprises, it often feels as though anything could happen next. In an effort to remain spoiler free, we won’t go into detail, but the use of a Miley Cyrus song is done with such perfection, that many who watch Strays will be talking about that scene for weeks — as they should.
This movie very much feels like a metaphor for dealing with a toxic relationship, and leaning on your friends to help pull you out. We have all been there, and it is lovely to see Reggie’s friends sticking by him through a tough time.
Overall Thoughts
Strays is extremely raunchy. There isn’t just poop jokes, it gets dirty in regards to “red rockets”, and doesn’t shy away from drug use. That said, this movie is sure to weave in a lot of emotion and heart as well. For those who are dog lovers, there are some moments that might be a bit hard to watch, but they never go TOO far, which is appreciated.
Thanks to some great voice talent, this movie succeeds in being absolutely hilarious, but also causing the audience to feel. If you don’t want to run out and adopt a dog, or give your dog lots of loving, after watching Strays, you might need to reconsider your life choices.
Strays hits theaters August 18th, and it is a must watch for fans of raunchy comedy.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
NEXT: The Last Voyage of the Demeter: More Boring Than Scary
About Strays
Abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug, a naive but lovable dog named Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier and his gang of strays. Determined to seek revenge, Reggie and his new canine pals embark on an epic adventure to get him home and make Doug pay for his dirty deed.
