Gone to the Dogs review
If the last British dog film you saw was Digby the Biggest Dog in the World it’s about time you saw another.
Gone to the Dogs stars veteran British actors Tony Booth and Dora Bryan as a couple who retire to one of England’s fading south coast resorts. Endless days of promenade walks and lunches in run-down cafés lie ahead; the ideal retirement for Rose (Bryan) but a living hell for eternal rogue Jack (Booth).
While trying to prove - mainly to himself - that he’s still as virile as the young men who loiter at the sea-front fair grounds, Jack’s heart gives out. One of the films best realised scenes follows: Rose pours Jack’s ashes into the sea and as they plunge below the surface, an underwater camera sees them take Jack’s form and then turn into a dog.
Finding himself reincarnated as a scruffy mutt is, understandably, something of a shock to Jack. He quickly makes his way back to the bungalow where, as a human, he had planned to spend his retirement years with Rose.
What follows is a fun run around town, with Jack befriending the local dog gang and realising one or two things that he should have as a human.
Tony Booth makes a fantastic rascal, both in human form and as the voice of Jack. Dora Bryan is equally well suited to her role of an older woman making the best of the life she has. Their understated performances make real the initial tension between their differing ideas of the perfect retirement, developing into the warmth that comes from decades of affection and love, with the minor prod of one of them becoming a dog.
Needless to say, the dogs are real stars of the film. While the voiced thoughts of Jack’s dog friends reveal little depth, the direction and training show enormous dedication and very talented hounds. A short documentary reveals some of the work behind the canine performances.
Ultimately, Gone to the Dogs is the sort of love story we don’t often see in film or on television, being neither rose-tinted nor bleak. At around £8.55 (although you’ll have to pay in US dollars), it seems a touch pricey for a 20 minute film. However, it’s worth it if you enjoy seeing excellent dog performances and want to support the kind of British film-making that rarely, if ever, makes it to our cinemas.