In general, movies about animals tend to be adorable and family-friendly fare. Even if they seem a little on the darker side, they still are usually heartwarming stories with cute pets, farm animals, wild animals, etc. Even Disney animated features tend to include some tender moments, as well as some gut-wrenching tales about a baby losing its parent in a tragic manner. So when a film comes along that includes cute dogs you don't necessarily expect it to include an R rating. However, when the movie stars the comedic vocal talent of Jamie Foxx (Day Shift), Will Ferrell (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy), and Isla Fisher (Now You See Me), you can bet that a cautious rating is in place for a very good reason. Strays comes to home video entertainment this week.
Reggie (Ferrell) loves playing fetch with his owner, Doug (Will Forte; The Last Man on Earth), but every time they play Doug makes it harder and harder for Reggie to find his way home again. The most recent time, Reggie finds himself lost in the big city where he is found by Bug (Foxx). Bug is a stray who, not only sells Reggie on the idea of the "Stray" life but also informs Reggie that Doug wasn't playing and he was trying to abandon Reggie. The realization sets Reggie, Bug, and their friends, Maggie (Fisher) and Hunter (Randall Park; Fresh Off the Boat) on a quest for revenge.
While Strays is categorized as a comedy, writer Dan Perrault (American Vandal) relies primarily on sex and toilet humor to bring on the laughs. Sadly, those will only get one so far. Adding someone like Foxx to the cast helps in the delivery of the lines but Ferrell is simply dead weight. Parks, as the cone-wearing, anxiety-ridden, police training program failure is funny enough to help Foxx bring about some laughs. The funniest moment isn't even courtesy of one of the main cast, but a prank involving a dog, a shock collar, and an invisible fence.
Looking at the 1080p resolution on the Blu-ray Disc, it is understandable why the film wasn't released in 4K. From the opening scene, where Reggie is playing with some butterflies, it is easy to see that the butterflies are fake. There are also times when the dogs are on the streets but the backgrounds look green-screened.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 suffers a similar fate as the video quality. While mostly okay, it is unremarkable except perhaps the two-minute scene that includes a fireworks display, there is a noticeable lack of depth in the ambient noise and the soundtrack.
The combo pack includes a Blu-ray, DVD, and a digital download. The extras are housed on the Blu-ray and include Talk Like a Dog, The Ultimate Treat: Making STRAYS, Poop, Booms, and Shrooms, Will Forte: STRAY Actor, Training to be STRAY, A New Best Friend, and Feature commentary with Director/Producer Josh Greenbaum and Screenwriter/Producer Dan Perrault.
If unoriginal potty jokes and sex acts performed by dogs on inanimate objects is hilarious to you, then Strays is right up your alley. However, with a budget more significant than the worldwide box office returns, this run-of-the-mill, "adventure/comedy" is anything but a hit.
It possibly could become a cult hit, popular with college kids at frat parties but for the rest of us it doesn't stand out and it will probably be forgotten before the end of the year. For those who like Ferrell, and loved him in Elf, you may want to own him in dog form but personally, I'll pass.
Grade: D+
