Those looking for a smart, fresh and funny family comedy will be barking up the wrong tree with The Shaggy Dog (Disney).
A remake of sorts, combining elements from Disney's 1959 original and its 1976 sequel, The Shaggy D.A., this one-joke woofer stars Tim Allen as Dave Douglas, a Los Angeles deputy district attorney who's in the doghouse with his wife (Kristin Davis) and two teenage children (Zena Grey and Spencer Breslin) for spending too much time at work.
Douglas is trying a high-profile case involving a pharmaceutical corporation accused by the animal-rights protesters outside the courtroom — including his daughter — of conducting illegal experiments on their lab animals.
One of the activists is accused of setting a fire in one of the company's labs run by the sinister Dr. Kozak (played with sneering glee by Robert Downey Jr.), who is working on a “fountain of youth” serum derived from the blood of a bearded collie who was snatched from a Tibetan temple.
All of this is only a setup for Douglas to get bitten by that mystical mutt, and in short order start acting like a pooch before eventually turning into one. Much canine craziness ensues as Douglas gets in touch with his inner Fido. Along the way, he realizes the error of his workaholic ways and vows to become a better husband and father.
Nice message, but even Allen's comic dexterity can't make this dog of a film hunt.
In the 1959 version, it was Fred MacMurray's teenage son (Tommy Kirk) who sprouted hair and a wet nose. This updating sheds the original's Cold War subplot about foiling a Soviet spy mission.
Director Brian Robbins' movie has some funny moments, such as when Allen sticks his face in his breakfast bowl to lap up his cereal, but the slapstick shenanigans — including a protracted cat-chasing scene — are strictly for the pups. (Parents should note that some of the sight gags are a bit crass, as when Allen lifts up his leg doggy-style while using a urinal.)
To older viewers, however, Allen's fetch-and-sniff shtick may make even the 90-minute running time feel like dog years.
The film contains some mildly crude humor and comic violence. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
(This review appears courtesy of US Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting.)
