The season of the summer blockbuster is almost upon us. You know the type: films with big stars and bigger budgets that make every attempt to clobber you over the head with their inescapable hugeness. They are easily recognized by their nauseatingly contrived plots, over-exaggerated acting and mile-long opening night ticket lines. A movie about a certain arachnid-like photographer, for example, is one of the more prominent of this season’s cinematic behemoths barging into a theater near you.
“Year of the Dog” is, pointedly and refreshingly, not one of these movies. The film begins with various shots of Peggy (Molly Shannon), a dowdy but lovable dog owner who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after the loss of her precious pooch, Pencil. Peggy drives with Pencil on her lap, sleeps with Pencil, eats dinner with Pencil and rubs lotion on Pencil’s paws. In other words, Pencil is Peggy’s life. She is only fully comfortable around her dog and is awkwardly detached around humans. As she herself states, she’s always been disappointed by people – that’s why she likes pets.
But Peggy is also a people-pleaser. She brings donuts to work for her coworkers but eats none herself. She’s always buying gifts for others but doesn’t make a single selfish purchase. She’s constantly listening to her friend’s problems but never talking about her own. As a result, Peggy knows nothing about herself. This becomes uncomfortably clear when she goes on a date and discovers her date’s favorite thing about animals is hunting them down and killing them. But after her life takes its tragic turn, things begin to change.
Through a series of unfortunate and ridiculous events, Peggy becomes the complete opposite of her old self. She transforms from the docile office secretary into an impulsive and demanding animal rights activist. She also goes to outrageous lengths for her new passion, which include, but are not limited to, committing identity theft and nearly stabbing someone. At this point, the film begins tiptoeing on the edge of becoming a PETA propaganda film, primarily when Peggy makes decisions that are illogical to the point of insanity. She becomes so obsessed with saving animals she seems to forget about every other aspect of her life.
But these moments also serve to show how much Peggy had repressed herself for her dog and her friends. Her undisturbed and unquestioned life has been turned upside down – who’s to say her explosive reaction isn’t the reasonable result after a life of bottling everything up? What’s more, these moments of extremity give Shannon’s comedic prowess the chance to really shine. She is at once simple and outrageous, creating a character that the audience can simultaneously relate to and laugh at in disbelief.
Directed by Mike White, the film is understated and at times painfully simple. Its backdrops and camera work, along with most of its characters, are quite unexciting. But its simplicity is in large part what makes it so irresistible. The other part is Molly Shannon’s surprisingly poignant performance as Peggy. This is not to say Shannon’s is the only noteworthy performance in the film. Peter Sarsgaard is perfect as the charmingly confused, animal-loving vegan, Newt. Regina King plays Peggy’s glamazon friend Layla with sassy deliciousness, John C. Reilly is endearingly creepy as Peggy’s hunting-obsessed neighbor, and Laura Dern steals her scenes as Peggy’s uptight and neurotic sister-in-law.
But the star of the show is undoubtedly Shannon, who transforms herself in the role of Peggy, much like her former “SNL” partner-in-crime Will Ferrell did in last year’s “Stranger Than Fiction.” In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a film that illustrates a more striking and complete transformation (except, perhaps, for the upcoming “Transformers,” and even then I wouldn’t bet on it).
Without ever becoming cliché, “Year of the Dog” tells a story about the way life isn’t always the way you picture or expect it to be. It’s about finding yourself in places you never thought you would go. Although at times it feels awkward, and although White often seems bent on making his audience uncomfortable, he has an uncanny ability to make them laugh. He also has a knack for casting, apparently, as he wrote the movie specifically for Shannon. And Shannon, in all her hilarity, does not disappoint. Good golly, miss Molly.