Dog Park (film) - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

Dog Park is a 1998 American/Canadian romantic comedy film written and directed by Bruce McCulloch.

Plot

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The main character Andy is a writer of newspaper classified ads who has been going from relationship to relationship since eighth grade. He loses custody of his dog when his girlfriend, Cheryl, breaks up with him for another man. Andy then meets Lorna, a children's TV show host, but she is too obsessed with her own dog to commit to a relationship with anyone. She's also still hurt emotionally because her boyfriend Trevor, left her for Andy's ex, Cheryl.

Andy also has a fling with another woman, Keiran. Meanwhile, Cheryl takes Andy's dog to a psychiatrist, who tells her that her promiscuity is traumatizing the dog. While both Andy and Cheryl do their best to share custody, problems arise as Cheryl and Trevor break up and she tries to win Andy back unsuccessfully. Keiran figures out Jeri's boyfriend Jeff is having an affair. Lorna goes out with Trevor. It's not much of date, but he helps her out in a big way. Both Andy and Lorna have feelings for each other, but aren't sure how to follow through with it. Andy being with Kieran and Lorna being with Trevor help them come to a very important conclusion.

Cast

Janeane Garofalo as Jeri

Natasha Henstridge as Lorna

Bruce McCulloch as Jeff

Mark McKinney as Dog Psychologist

Kathleen Robertson as Cheryl

Harland Williams as Callum

Luke Wilson as Andy

Kristin Lehman as Keiran

Amie Carey as Rachel

Gordon Currie as Trevor

Peter MacNeill as Neighbor

Jerry Schaefer as Norm

Zachary Bennett as Dougie

Ron James as Male Dog Owner #1

Albert Schultz as Male Dog Owner #2

Terri Hawkes as Announcer

Michael Bean as Driver

Reception

Dog Park received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film currently holds 36% of apravation, based on 25 reviews. At Metacritic it holds a 46/100 score, based on 14 reviews. Mick LaSalle from San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "Dog Park is clever and pleasant and holds interest. Janeane Garofalo is restrained as a cynical and sensitive magazine editor, and Bruce McCulloch, who wrote the script and directed the picture, plays her boyfriend. He gives himself a couple of strong moments but otherwise keeps his focus where it belongs, on Wilson." Ken Fox from TV Guide gave the movie three out of five stars. Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly gave it a B- grade and wrote: "No disrespect is meant by saying that this shambling romantic comedy, written and directed by ”Kids in the Hall” alum Bruce McCulloch, clings to a sensibility that’s imperviously, uncompromisingly Canadian. The pace, the punchlines, and the characters of Dog Park all land just a little north of target, even though the notion that canine playgrounds make good pickup grounds for humans would appear to be an imperviously, uncompromisingly L.A. idea."