Old Dogs – Review
Old Dogs is pretty disjointed, there’s no other way to describe it. It wants to be so many things, yet can’t decided on which to be. It’s a big, broad, generic comedy, not unlike Wild Hogs, a film where they share the same producers. The film follows Robin Williams and John Travolta, two guys who are successful sports marketers. All seems well, until a women Williams had a one night stand with comes back to tell him, that he is a daddy. Hilarity ensues-supposedly.
The film is predictable from start to finish. Of course, the wild single guys will find it in their hearts to be dads, like their children really want them to be. Of course, the kids will get them into outrageous situations. Of course, none of this is reality. As I was thinking after the film, maybe this isn’t my comedy, meaning my generation’s type of laughs. Having Seth Green in here is probably the best part, but he appeals to that ever so key demographic: 18-35 year olds. Travolta and Williams appeal to the aging Baby Boomers. It’s an odd mix, but the film tries.
Old Dogs is completely harmless, with comedy is fine for anyone. If you seen the bits in the trailer, like the one with them at the zoo, you can get a good idea of the type of humor Old Dogs is going for. If the screenplay didn’t feel like a first draft, and polished some of the things they gloss over, maybe it could have achieved what it thinks it is. Not everyone is going to like it, because it is too broad, very sitcom-like in terms of plot developments and humor, and Robin Williams’ character quickly changes right after the big bad thing he does. Very typical, and standard issue, and plenty tiresome, if you ask me, and you are.
Old Dogs isn’t out to compete with the Judd Apatow’s or the Wes Anderson’s of the comedy world, and those looking for a quickie family fix will be please, even if the events are forgettable, and they are. The film really feels like a safe, calculated movie that was worked over my studio executives looking at the demographic score cards. If they would’ve aimed it more at the older crowd, who enjoy these actors, as well as, the sitcom style of comedy, I would be hard to discredit Old Dogs. It aims to please too many sectors of the demographic, making many 18-35 year olds, wish they just rented The Hangover again.
Rating: 
