Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Writer/director: Gil Junger, Defiant Screen Entertainment.
This is a fanciful family comedy about a 12-year-old boy, a science project that goes awry and how he forges a telepathic connection with his dog. The duo join forces and use their unique perspectives on life to comically overcome complications of family and school.
Oliver (Gabriel Bateman, Child’s Play, Lights Out) is a tech prodigy whose middle-school science fair experiment goes amiss, thus creating a telekinetic link with his furry friend, Henry. The bond brings them even closer as they join forces and also help Oliver’s parents – Lukas Reed (Josh Duhamel) and Ellen (Megan Fox) – to rekindle their marriage along the way. This results in some hilarious consequences.
Henry the Labradoodle, is voiced hilariously by Todd Stashwick (Close to Home, The Wrong Coast). He creates the most laughs, delivering quick witticisms with boundless energy.
However, Oliver and Henry are going to need help to save the day when a cyber-businessman (Kunal Nayyar from Big Bang Theory) arrives on the scene and will stop at nothing to get hold of the breakthrough technology.
The strong cast surprisingly reunites Fox and Duhamel who both had roles in the Transformers franchise.
Junger, who made his big screen directorial debut with the 1999 nostalgia-fest 10 Things I Hate About You, scatters just enough drama to keep the film from tipping too far into madcap territory.
Think Like a Dog makes an appearance at the right time when everything feels downbeat and intricate. No need to be cynical. Just relax and have fun with the film about an enterprising boy who loves science and his happy “talking” dog.
Can you tell us who is the voice of Henry? If your answer is correct, then you could win one of three DVDs of Think Like A Dog. Entries should be sent to [email protected] by Monday, 21 September 2020. Names of the winners will be announced in Frank Cassidy’s PS-sssst…! column on 22 September 2020.
