The Art of Racing in the Rain

Movies centering around animals go back a number of decades. "Francis the Mule", "Benji", "Beethoven", "A Dog's Purpose", "Cats & Dogs" and the like are films many of us have grown up with. We are fascinated with animals, especially dogs, so when "The Art of Racing in the Rain" was released, I felt it would be a perennial favorite.

 

Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, this story is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his bond with his owner, Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring Formula One race car driver, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. The film, as told as a flashback through the eyes of Enzo, follows Denny and loves of his life--his wife, Eve (Amanda Seyfried), their young daughter Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and ultimately, his true best friend, Enzo.

 

Others to round out the cast are Gary Cole as Don Kitch, Martin Donovan as Maxwell, Eve's father, Kathy Baker as Trish, Eve's mother, Andres Joseph as Tony, Ian Lake as Mike, McKinley Belcher III as Mark Finn, Denny's lawyer and Lily Dodsworth-Evans as teenage Zoe.

 

This was powerfully directed by Simon Curtis ("Prince of Hearts" (TV movie) '97, "My Summer with Des" (TV movie) '98, "Man and Boy" (TV movie) '02, "Born in the USA" (TV movie) '07, "A Short Stay in Switzerland" (TV movie) '09, "My Week with Marilyn" '11, "Woman in Gold" '15, "Goodbye Christopher Robin" '17) plus TV. I say powerful for the reason that the characters come across incredibly realistic. Being the film it is, the characters would be easy to be presented in such a schmaltzy way, but not these characters. As his resume dictates, this is the TV movie king, however this will only serve Curtis that much more. I haven't seen seasoned directing as this is from veteran directors. It was written by veteran Mark Bomback ("The Night Caller" '98, "Godsend" '04, "Live Free or Die Hard" '07, "Deception" '08, "Race to Witch Mountain" '09, "Unstoppable" '10, "Total Recall" '12, "The Wolverine" '13, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" '14, "Insurgent" '15, "War for the Planet of the Apes" '17) plus TV, based on the novel by Gareth Stein. What makes this writer a prolific one is the fact that he is willing to write using any genre on various topics covering a multitude of subject matter--one cannot pigeon-hole this guy. As with his past work, Bomback is willing to write outside the box which makes him a writer that will always be in demand. The character development in this was effective without going over-the-top with the script. And although this was a compelling story, it wasn't without issues. There were places that progressed a bit too quickly and other areas that seemed as though they dragged a bit. Don't get me wrong, the staging in this was effective, but it could've been spaced in a way that flowed a little easier.

 

If you're a dog lover, you'll be in film heaven, but even if you're not, this film has a great message in that we are all connected in some form or fashion and if we lose track of that aspect, our strength, our commitment and our love for one another will suffer. It's amazing that we end up learning this from a dog--but hey, whatever works.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: PG                                        108mins.