The new movie Strays features Jamie Foxx and Will Ferrell as the voices for a rambunctious Boston Terrier named Bug (Foxx), and an optimistic Border Collie named Reggie (Ferrell), but unlike most films featuring man’s best friend, Strays doesn’t offer the family friendly experience one might assume. Instead of celebrating the typical unbreakable bond between man and his canine companion, Strays is narrated from a dog’s point of view when an owner is irresponsible and abusive.
The irreverent script explores an mistreated dog’s journey to getting revenge on his toxic owner while discovering the beauty of freedom and independence. With a ton of sarcasm, irony and off-color humor, Strays reminds audiences of the comedic brilliance of both Foxx and Ferrell when allowed to play outside the PG rating boundaries. Bug leads a group of disgruntled canines on a rebellious trek against ownership, while indulging in bad dog behavior. In Strays, humping furniture is celebrated along with marking territory with urine, strategically stealing from humans and indulging in mushrooms for a psychedelic high.
Foxx’s Bug is equal parts cute and cuddly and cynically rebellious, but ultimately he is the heart of of the movie. Once abandoned by his family for accidentally biting his owner, Strays chronicles Bug’s self-discovery and acknowledgement that a dog is definitively man’s best friend and is much happier with a human than out on the streets.
The film probably won’t be touted as a “must-see” by PETA or the Humane Society, but if you are looking for a laugh and want to enjoy two of the brightest comedic minds of our time, catch Strays in theaters everywhere Friday, Aug. 18.
