betty dalton Very subtle comedy. But it angered lots of viewers, which makes it even more special. Produced by Brad Pitt, but dont expect an action picture or something. I just got to know of this movie because Brad Pitt has got a real good knack for producing quality movies. But this comedy is only suited for those who understand subtle tongue in cheek jokes. Lots of viewers thought of it as boring because they didnt understand the tongue in cheek humor of the behaviour by the characters. Lots of others got angry because there are a lot of politically uncorrect characters in this story which ofcourse will upset the masses who expected to see a nice, clean cut comedy. It isnt. It deceives you and then it hits you, gently though...The director and writer of this movie, Mike White, has also made the legendary and hilarious movie called "Office Space", also about neat and clean office workers, who eventually go wild. Come to think of it most of Mike White's movies are about office workers or other boring characters that suddenly get entangled in the wildest action plots. Really hilarious stuff, but again only suited for those who get the subtle tongue in cheek jokes, the masses probably will find it somewhat boring or be really offended if they let their kids watch it...The strength of this movie is its subtle story, in which we start with a clean and neat office worker lady, who is as law abiding and decent as one can be. But the more this nice lady becomes aware of what kind pf cruelties are committed to animals in the meat industry the more she starts revolting. And because of this ever climaxing anger by this previously law abiding lady her actions become ever more dangerous and violent. But in a hilarious and innocent way. Very tongue in cheek. Suited for the whole family, everyone could like it, especially if you are an animal lover. But not suited for the politically correct masses...

digitalangelfood I am an avid animal lover and movie buff. I watched the movie because of the cast (John C. And Molly Shannon) and the fact that it was labeled a comedy. It isn't a comedy; not even a dark comedy. But that was no big shock as IMDb slaps "comedy" genre on almost every movie. Even if you love dogs, you won't enjoy this movie. As a matter of fact, it is in no way "heartwarming" and I struggle to find a reason anyone would like this movie.The movie was very slow and the plot was weak. It was very anti-climatic and when the credits started to roll at the end of the movie I was left frustrated. I even tried to find some sort of deeper meaning or literary value but there is nothing to find in this movie. There is nothing interesting in this movie. What is the point of a movie if the story is boring and goes nowhere? Poor Molly makes the worst choices in the roles that she chooses.

tieman64 Mike White's "Year of the Dog" stars Molly Shannon as Peggy, a frail, submissive, emotionally sensitive woman who spends her days taking abuse, being snidely judged and dutifully working at a dull, white collar job. Free time is spent cuddling with Pencil, Peggy's pet dog. The duo watch TV, eat microwave dinners and sleep together like a seasoned couple. Peggy's mocked by her coworkers, family, friends and boss. She takes it. Pencil doesn't judge her.When Pencil dies, Peggy traumatically confronts the fact that she has been pushed towards life's margins. Single, childless and "of a certain age", the dog's death sparks an existential crisis. Peggy responds by becoming increasingly neurotic. Realizing that society's apathy toward her dead pet masks a larger cruelty, a larger social violence, Peggy veers wildly in the opposite direction. She becomes an "animal lover" who "takes cares of animals". Later she funnels money from her company's business account into the accounts of various PETA-like charities. She also becomes a vegan. Mike White is himself a vegan and PETA activist.Far from a political tract, though, the film paints Peggy as a supremely messed up individual. This has led to animal lovers bashing White for painting animal lovers/vegans/PETA etc as nut-jobs who "love animals" because they "can't get along with humans". But "In The Year Of The Dog" is doing something completely different. This is Errol Morris territory, White painting everyone as being as neurotic as Peggy, be they overprotective parents, yuppies, work obsessed bosses, hunting fanatics, marriage-fixated dopes or lug-headed consumers. Everyone has their own obsession, their own symptoms. Indeed, Peggy's obsessions may even be less dead-ended, shallow and self obsessed than that of others in the film. But only marginally. While White spends most of the picture skewering the idea of "universal truths", "normalcy" and "mental health", he's also clear in his painting of Peggy as a highly messed up individual. The question the film asks is whether self-actualisation - Peggy's act of finally "becoming someone" and "asserting herself" - is itself a kind of hollow fiction; who you are is what you aren't, everyone is neurotic somewhere, all neuroses mask a desire for control, and what you do masks only what you can't. The Self is not only Other, but total damage. The film ends with Peggy boarding a giant bus packed with other animal lovers and activists. Her transformation into a radical is both mocked and celebrated. Once a doormat, she's now a warrior. Once a victim, she's now fighting back against a society that sweeps violence under a facade of kindness/normalcy. But Peggy's makeover is also something pathetic. She is who she is because she can't function any other way.8/10 – Worth one viewing.

ripcurl7 I am a fan of funny movies, idie movies, even mumblecore movies....but this movie is terrible. Not one scene in this trash even amused me. How can anyone see this as funny?I suffered through this movie with 5 other friends. Not one person, one time laughed. I was embarrassed to have bought this movie to show to them. Comments on the film:"A happy go lucky woman who has many friends who appreciate her and a job that utilizes her skills. She Has a nice home and she has her beloved dog Pencil. Presently, she chooses to be single. Then something happens that sends her into the dog eat dog world of searching for love."really? is this for the right movie? *meh