Movie Review: ‘Strays’ Blu-ray

Review by James Lindorf

One of the benefits of the American melting pot is the wide variety of things that bring people joy. However, there are a few nearly universal things. One of those things is the enjoyment of an excellent R-rated comedy. From Blazing Saddles to Animal House, Van Wilder, Girls Trip, and Deadpool, the more shocking and irreverent the films can be, the more we love them. Another very popular thing is dogs, with 70% of homes welcoming at least one of the four-legged companions into their lives. Universal Pictures and Director Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) have partnered to combine these two forces into what they hope will be a box office smash. “Strays” is now playing in theaters around the country.

Will Ferrell voices Reggie, aka shithead, aka shitbag, a naive and relentlessly optimistic Border Terrier. Even after Reggie is abandoned in the big city hours from home, he still believes that his beloved owner, Doug (Will Forte; The Last Man on Earth), would never leave him on purpose. After his eyes are opened by Bug, a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier (Oscar® winner Jamie Foxx), Reggie has his sights set on revenge by biting off Doug’s favorite appendage. The pair are joined by Maggie (Isla Fisher; Wedding Crashers), an Australian shepherd with a great sense of smell which was sidelined by a TikTok ready puppy, and Hunter (Randall Park; Always Be My Maybe), a Great Dane who finds comfort in his cone from the anxiety caused by his job as an emotional support animal. Together the four will travel beyond the light-up hamster wheel, over the giant cone, and past the devil in the sky to seek revenge not just for Reggie but all good dogs who were mistreated.

“Strays” has more than its fair share of boner and poop jokes. So many that it walks the edge of being overly repetitive, but screenwriter Dan Perrault manages enough variety and heart to keep audiences on their toes and coming back for more. Perrault’s best jokes come when he forgets about bodily fluids and explores how dogs behave and interact with the human world. The hows and whys of spinning around before lying down, the importance of howling, and the joys of humping any and everything are some of the best dog-centric jokes not designed to shock. At the same time, the dangers of mirrors, social media, fireworks, and mail carriers dominate the best jokes about dogs in the human world.

Greenbaum and Perrault crafted a very relatable story when they weren’t trying to shock or gross out the audience. Reggie learns about red flags and the importance of escaping a toxic relationship during his journey back to Doug. A task that Bug makes sound as easy as speaking it into existence, but Reggie personifies the difficulty. Perrault’s script delves into the necessity of developing a sense of self-worth outside of a relationship and the beauty of deep and supportive friendships.

If you are trying to convince a friend or partner to head to watch and you are looking for the best way, to sum up “Strays,” tell them it is “Homeward Bound” meets “Sausage Party.” Just don’t show them a trailer because they spoil many of the best jokes. The best thing in the trailer is that you see that, for one scene, they switched out the dogs that played Bug. Gone is the lean long legged Boston, and in is its short and chubby stunt double. For those looking for shock humor, plenty of belly laughs await you when the lights go down. Those who don’t get into the toilet humor can latch on to the film’s heart and the lighter jokes about being a dog. While the film is rated R, the fact that dogs are making the jokes brings the tone down where some people should be comfortable bringing their older teens. However, this is not a movie for kids or tweens, no matter how cute the dogs are. “Strays” may not be the leader of the pack of 2023 comedies, with “Barbie” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” dominating theaters this year but at a 4 out of 5, “Strays” is still worth bringing home.

Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Director: Josh Greenbaum
Producer: Erik Feig, Louis Leterrier, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Aditya Sood, Dan Perrault, Josh Greenbaum
Writer: Dan Perrault
Runtime: 1h 33m
Distributor: Universal Pictures