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John Travolta and Robin Williams star in Old Dogs, the hilarious
family comedy that will have you howling. Two best friends have
their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged
with the care of seven-year-old twins while on the verge of the
biggest business deal of their lives. The clueless bachelors
stumble in their efforts to take care of the children, leading to
one debacle after another, with a gorilla and some pecking penguins
-- and perhaps to a newfound understanding of what's really
important in life. Featuring a riotously funny supporting cast
including Seth Green, Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon and Lori Laughlin,
Old Dogs is a laugh-a-minute comedy filled with heart.
Bonus Features Include Exclusive To Disney Combo Pack: Young Dogs
Learn Old Tricks, Exclusive To Disney Combo Pack: Music Video
You've Been A Friend To Me Performed By Bryan Adams, Bloopers,
Deleted Scenes, Music Video Every Little Step Performed By John
Travolta And Ella Bleu Travolta, Audio Commentary By Director Walt
Becker, Producer Andrew Panay And Writers David Diamond And David
Weissman, DVD Feature Film Plus Bonus, Digital Copy Of Feature Film
Who says you can't teach Old Dogs new tricks? Robin Williams and John Travolta are the old, single "dogs" in question, reveling in great chemistry as lifelong pals who've together grown a successful marketing empire--but who have somehow managed to avoid ever really growing up. The cast, featuring Travolta's real wife, Kelly Preston (who, with costar Rita Wilson, reveals just how fine a comedian she is, and how the screen really sparkles when she's on it), and his real-life daughter Ella Bleu, is top-notch. Other great performances include Bernie Mac, a sultry Lori Loughlin, Matt Dillon, and a dynamite Seth Green as a mini-mogul in training. The plot revolves around the Old Dogs' suddenly needing to care for twin 7-year-olds (the heretofore unknown children of Williams's character, Dan) and finding that they learn as much from the kids as vice versa. Moans Dan to Travolta's Charlie, after awkwardly tucking in the kids for the night at Charlie's bachelor pad, "I just shook hands goodnight with my daughter." Old Dogs is a fun family film that's appropriate for ages 8 and up, with enough jokes and great timing to please grownups too. --A.T. Hurley
Blu-ray: If you enjoyed Walt Becker's "Wild Hogs", you'll more than
likely enjoy his latest film "Old Dogs".Reviewed by Dennis A. Amith (kndy), 2010-03-10
John Travolta and Robin Williams have been friends for decades but
have never worked together on film. That was until the release of
the film "Old Dogs" directed by Walt Becker ("Wild Hogs", "Van
Wilder") and features a screenplay by David Diamond ("Minutemen",
"The Family Man") and David Weissman ("Minutemen", "Evolution",
"Family Man"). The film features cinematography from Jeffrey L.
Kimball ("Mission: Impossible II", "Star Trek: Nemesis", "Hostage")
and music composed by John Debney ("Aliens in the Attic", "Evan
Almight", "Iron Man 2") and would feature many talent including
Kelly Preston, Lori Loughlin, Bernie Mac, Seth Green, Matt Dillon,
Ann-Margret, Rita Wilson, Amy Sedaris, Justin Long and many
more.
The film would also be known as the last feature film for
comedian/actor Bernie Mac who passed away several months after the
film was completed and despite negative critic reviews, similar to
Walt Becker's previous film "Wild Hogs" (which garnered negative
reviews but made an extreme amount of money), "Old Dogs" which cost
$35 million to make, has made over $81 million worldwide in the box
office guaranteeing another box office success for Becker and
crew.
"Old Dogs" revolves around a two best friends since grade school.
Charlie Reed (played by John Travolta) and Dan Rayburn (Robin
Williams) are successful partners of Rayburn+Reed, a successful
sports marketing firm.
While Charlie is a flirt with the women and lives in a stylish
apartment with his very old dog, Dan has had his share of personal
problems after his first divorce seven years ago. So, one day
Charlie takes Dan to a vacation and hook up with Vicki (played by
Travolta's real life wife, Kelly Preston) and her weird friend/hand
model Jenna (played by Rita Wilson). And somehow after many drinks,
Dan who had tried to get a tattoo that says "Free Man" instead gets
a tattoo that says "Fremont" across his chest and also manages to
get married with Vicki.
The marriage is short lived and seven years later, while Charlie
and Dan along with budding executive Ralph White (played by Seth
Green) and translator Amanda (Lori Loughlin) are trying to land a
very lucrative Japanese account, Dan receives a letter from Vicki.
Excited that Vicki wants to meet with him, Dan thinks that maybe
Vicki wants to have a serious relationship but during the course of
their meeting over dinner, finds out that Vicki is heading to jail
for two weeks for an activist crime and felt it was time for Dan to
know the truth. That Dan is the father of two seven-year-old
fraternal twins: Zach (played by Conner Rayburn) and Emily (played
by Ella Bleu Travolta).
Before she goes to jail, she just wants Dan to know his children
and shocked Dan is. Charlie is not so thrilled because they have a
major account to work on but nevertheless, gives his best friend
support.
Dan goes with Vicki and the children to a few places and starts to
become acquainted with them but its evident that he's not used to
being around children. But as they bring the children to stay with
Jenna for the two weeks that Vicki is in jail, Dan accidentally
slams his car trunk on Jenna's fingers and also has the trunk flip
open and hit her on the face.
With Jenna now hospitalized and Vicki going to jail, Dan volunteers
to take care of the kids for the next two weeks. And because Dan's
apartment does not allow children, he and the kids must stay at
Charlie's place and now the two are forced to be like parents to
both Zach and Emily while trying to gain this major Japanese
account.
Can these two "old dogs" win the Japanese account and also raise
two children in two weeks?
VIDEO:
"Old Dogs" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1).
Fortunately, "Old Dogs" is shot in daylight conditions. So, there
is a good amount of colors featured in the film and also the HD
definitely brings out the skin pores and also the hairyness of
Robin Williams as detail is quite evident. But for the most part,
the film is vibrant and follows the tradition of fantastic picture
quality from Disney.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
"Old Digs" is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48
kHz/24-bit) and also French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. For the
most part, the film is front and center channel driven as the film
is primarily dialogue and music driven. Dialogue and music are very
clear with a few use of the surround channels when you hear the
creaking of Charlie and Dan's bones or when they participate in a
frisbee game and get continuously tackled. Overall, lossless audio
is satisfactory for this type of film.
Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Old Dogs" comes with a few special features presented in 1080p
High Definition and 480 i with audio in English 5.1 or 2.0 Dolby
Digital with English SDH subtitles. Included are:
* Audio Commentary by Director Walt Becker, screenplay writers
David Diamond and David Weissman and Producer Andrew Panay - A
lively audio commentary by the four men discussing the film and
working with the talent and seeing the film for the first
time.
* Bloopers - (2:26) Bloopers form "Old Dogs".
* Young Dogs Learn Old Tricks - (2:51) Conner Rayburn interviews
Robin Williams and Ella Bleu Travolta interviews her father John
Travolta.
* Deleted Scenes - (3:30) Three deleted scenes: Body Check, Pate,
Alternate Ending Tag: Tables Turned.
* Music Videos - Two music videos featuring Bryan Adams singing
"You've Been a Friend to Me" and John Travolta singing "Every
Little Step" (a Bobby Brown cover) with his daughter Ella.
EXTRAS:
"Old Dogs" features a 3-Disc Combo Pack which includes the DVD
version of the film and a digital copy.
JUDGMENT CALL:
If you enjoyed "Wild Hogs", you'll more than likely enjoy "Old
Dogs"!
It's kind of interesting because back in the '60s we would get a
good amount of films featuring older talent being friends, single
and having fun. May it be the Rat Pack or Lemmon and Matthau and
really, there haven't been any comedy films with older men who are
living their lives ala youthful in their late 40's or early
50's.
I have to admit when the film started off with the photoshopped
heads of Travolta and Williams on other people's bodies (which some
looked unrealistic) trying to show that they have been friends
since they were kids, right away I was thinking "this movie is
going to suck!".
But as the film went on, the film started to become entertaining.
Sure, it is a bit silly and contrived but it kind of reminded me of
the "3 Men and a Baby" films. Two bachelors who are trying to take
care of two young children. They don't know how but they try to do
their best. Granted, "3 Men and a Baby" was much more entertaining
film but despite the critics really despising Walt Becker's films,
somehow both "Wild Hogs" and "Old Dogs" have managed to make a lot
of money! The film does feature quite a bit of all-star talent but
they are cameos at best but the most notable is Bernie Mac in his
final character role in a film.
Is this film suitable for the children? I watched this with my
seven year old and there is no profanity and there is no adult
situations but there is one scene where the guys get involved in a
frisbee matchup and things get a bit out of hand (Justin Long
starts bleeding from the mouth) but that is probably the extent the
violence. Everything else is appropriate for the children.
As for the Blu-ray release, "Old Dogs" comes with a DVD and digital
copy. The high definition features really good picture quality and
lossless audio that is satisfactory for the film. If anything,
viewers get to see Robin Williams strip down (to get a tan) and the
Blu-ray brings out the comedian's hairy body which I'm sure that is
not what one would want to see that close in high definition.
"Old Dogs" is not terrible and I know the concept of a film about
bachelor older men has not been captured in a similar format as the
women in a film such as "Sex and the City" but for the most part,
"Wild Hogs" and "Old Dogs" are films that do well in the box
office. These films even since the '80's with comedies such as
"Three Men and a Baby" and "The Three Amigos" featuring bachelor
men have done well in the theater despite critical scrutiny. People
just want a popcorn flick and laugh, even if the jokes may be
mediocre.
Overall, "Old Dogs" is far from being bad or terrible. It's a
comedy that I was entertained and laughed, felt a little
embarrassed of certain scenes and at the end, me and my younger son
enjoyed parts of it and found certain scenes to be quite silly. But
we were entertained. Although, the wife felt it was more of a film
for the guys and was not amused by it.
"Old Dogs" 3-Disc Combo Pack on Blu-ray will be released on March
9th.
One of the worst movies of the year, if not THE WORSTReviewed by True Patriot, 2010-03-08
Looks like some Disney employees or certain "church members" are
posting reviews because this movie isn't even average. It deserves
no stars. Not one laugh to be had in this cinematic apocalypse.
Hate someone? Send them this movie. An affront to anyone with an IQ
over 19. Everyone involved in this travesty should be ashamed of
themselves. And shame on the reviewers who are shilling for Disney.
Kind of reminds me of when Travolta's epic BATTLEFIELD EARTH came
out and all the "church members" who tried to put a positive spin
on things.
This movie made me angry.
You have to be a certain age to appreciateReviewed by H. Bilyk, 2010-03-07
For those of us in the "old dog" age group it is laugh out load funny. Never buy movies and will definitely buy this one!
Not even worth a rental.Reviewed by ClickmeClickme, 2010-03-07
If you liked the movie WILD HOGS, chances are you will like
this.
Unfortunately I hated both. Pointless, boring, unbelieveable,
forgetable, and just NOT funny. Sorry if you liked either one.
Sometimes you're in a tolerant mood for this drivel. I wasn't. I
don't have the time.
It's good that Hollywood keeps making money, although I wish they
didn't have mine.
Never Laughed So Hard in My LifeReviewed by Lorna J. Loomis, 2010-03-03
I saw this movie at a theater, originally. I went because I really
enjoy both actors who star in it and I knew that I'd have a pretty
good evening. However, it was even funnier than I anticipated and I
never laughed so hard in my life.
I've been waiting for the video to come out and I'm so glad to have
finally found it and the ability to pre-order a copy.
Thanks Amazon.com!
