Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen these days so it usually comes down to execution than much else. Anytime you use animals as the catalyst for your story you tend to have more of a chance to really grab the audience. The latest looking to do just that is Dog Days starring Nina Dobrev, Adam Pally, Vanessa Hudgens, Tig Notaro, Eva Longoria, and Thomas Lennon with Ken Marino in the director’s chair, but does it have enough bite to make it work or will it get off the leash?  

 

Dog Days follows a group of interconnected people in Los Angeles who are brought together by their lovable canine counterparts. I have to admit that I was on the fence about seeing this movie, as the trailers hadn’t really grabbed my attention.  Even as I headed to the theatre, I was wondering if this movie was going to be at all interesting.  But surprisingly, the movie was very cute and funny. The stories of all these characters and their dogs weave and intertwine until they finally all come together in a big fun way.  The only problem I saw was that there were times when the story slowed down and at times, even some of the comedy and one liners felt forced and not fresh or new.

 

 Nina Dobrev, who many will remember from the TV series Vampire Diaries, was very good in this role. It was nice to see her being upbeat, funny and playing this romantic lead.  She had good chemistry with Tone Bell who was also very funny and charming, and he’s also pretty easy on the eyes. Another person who was very entertaining was Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame.  I personally have never been a fan of Miss Hudgens, but she was very cute and comical.  It probably didn’t hurt that she had a great co-start to play off of, the hilarious Jon Bass.

 

Other stand out performances came from the very funny Adam Pally, Tig Notaro, Thomas Lennon, and not to be overlooked – all the amazing canine companions, which is really what this film is all about.  There are so many cute dogs in this film with so many different personalities.  It made me want to give up my job and go volunteer at an animal shelter. 

  

Overall, it is a cute and fun romantic comedy.  Luckily the dogs are there to fill in any gaps during those small slow moments.  In fact, the audience I saw the film with laughed out loud and clapped when the movie was over.  So if that’s any indication, I think most will enjoy.