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“Why is Doug so great? Where do I begin? He loves being around me so much, he doesn’t even have a job.”
Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), the dog, adores his owner Doug (Will Forte), an aimless, unemployed man who only kept the pet out of spite after his breakup. So when Doug repeatedly attempts to rid himself of Reggie by sending him to fetch a ball, the loyal dog believes they’re simply playing a game, until one day he’s driven so far away to fetch that he can’t find his way back home. Reggie never doubts Doug for a second and is eager to return home, but the street-smart stray Bug (Jamie Foxx) helps him realize he’s been abandoned. Now Reggie seeks to return to Doug for revenge!
Directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Dan Perrault, the 2023 comedy “Strays” is somewhat like “The Hangover,” but with dogs. Reggie the pet protagonists embark on a wild adventure with three of his new dog-friends to locate his cruel pet owner and teach him a lesson. Will Ferrell and Will Forte deliver a hilarious performance with their voice acting, infusing this absurd comedy with potty humor, sexual innuendos, and coarse language. Isla Fisher and Randall Park voice Maggie and Hunter respectively, the two other strays that decide to help out Reggie in his quest.
True to its title, “Strays” primarily centers around its furry protagonists, and the special effects team, along with the dog trainers, have done a remarkable job in making the dogs appear convincing when they interact and communicate with each other. The dogs are the stars of this film, their conversations range from silly to ridiculous, and with a 90-minute runtime, the film does falter with its pace and could’ve benefited with a few more human interactions along the way. While “Strays” may not be side-splittingly funny, it does contain some very humorous lines scattered throughout the story. For instance, there’s a scene in which all the dogs engage in a discussion about sex, and one of them ponders how humans do it, to which Bug responds, “the man pretends to be a dog, and the woman pretends to be a couch.”
The background music is thoughtfully selected, with Miley Cyrus’ hit song “Wrecking Ball” playing at a pivotal moment during the climax when Reggie is on the verge of exacting his revenge, and the track just elevates the hilarity of the moment. “Strays” is the kind of film that is best enjoyed while watching with a group of friends after a couple of drinks, or essentially in a state where you are already slightly intoxicated to find a group of talking dogs amusing.
Rating: 6 on 10.
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