Year of the Dog (2007/I)

Director:

Mike White

Writer (WGA):

Mike White (written by)

Release Date:

31 August 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Has the world left you a stray?

Plot:

A secretary's life changes in unexpected ways after her dog dies.

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Love | Neighbor | Office | Vegan

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Molly Shannon	...	Peggy
Laura Dern	...	Bret
Regina King	...	Layla
Thomas McCarthy	...	Pier
Josh Pais	...	Robin
John C. Reilly	...	Al
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Newt
Amy Schlagel	...	Lissie
Zoe Schlagel	...	Lissie
Dale Godboldo	...	Don
Inara George	...	Holly
Liza Weil	...	Trishelle
Jon Shere	...	Pound Employee
Christy Moore	...	Al’s Girlfriend (as Christy Lynn Moore)
Audrey Wasilewski	...	Audrey

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive references.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Altadena, California, USA

Company:

Black & White Productions

Trivia:

The website where Molly makes her card is a real website for making greeting cards.

Quotes:

Peggy: I've always been disappointed by people. I've really only been able to count on my pets. I know it's pathetic, but...
Newt: Hey, it's not pathetic.
Peggy: But it's enough. It was enough last month and last week, and it'll be enough next week.

Movie Connections:

References Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Amazing!

The beauty of this film is that for the first time in my movie-going history someone has actually made a case for the possibility of mental disease being channeled into worthwhile activity. At the end of the movie, in an incredibly gutsball move by Mike White, the leading character discovers her bliss and realizes that she doesn't have to live and interact with the normal run of people in order to do some good in this world.

I understand how the completely unique story arc has left some viewers in the dust. But for me this is an absolutely great, unmissable, cataclysmic achievement, one which should (and probably won't) garner Oscar nominations for White and Molly Shannon.

Peggy isn't even someone I'd ever care to know in the real world. But her story is unforgettable--tinged with genius in the writing, and fearlessly, selflessly portrayed by the who-would-have-thought-she-had-it-in-her Shannon.