Strays – My Hilarious Romp with Talking Dogs

Review movie ‘Strays’ (2023, Josh Greenbaum): My Hilarious Romp with Talking Dogs.

Strays
‘Strays’: (from left) Reggie (Will Ferrell), Maggie (Isla Fisher), Hunter (Randall Park) and Bug (Jamie Foxx)

Review of movie ‘Strays’: My Hilarious Romp with Talking Dogs

We recently watched ‘Strays’ at the local Pay-TV, the 2023 comedy directed by Josh Greenbaum. This movie brings together the talents of Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx as the voices of stray dogs on a wild adventure. The film offers a fresh take on the talking animal genre, mixing cute dogs with crude humor in a way we haven’t seen before.

As dog lovers, we were curious to see how “Strays” would compare to other dog movies we’ve enjoyed in the past. Greenbaum’s direction caught our eye, as we remembered enjoying his work on “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” We were excited to see what he’d do with a cast of canine characters and big-name voice actors.

Going into the theater, we had mixed feelings. Would this be a heartwarming tale about man’s best friend, or a raunchy comedy that just happened to star dogs? We couldn’t wait to find out how Greenbaum would balance sweetness with raunchier material in this unique premise.

Film Synopsis

The complete movie can be ordered via this link.

“Strays” is a wild ride that we couldn’t believe was real. It’s about a cute Border Terrier named Reggie who gets dumped by his mean owner.

Poor Reggie thinks it’s all a game at first. But he soon meets some street-smart stray dogs who open his eyes.

We loved the unlikely crew Reggie joins up with. There’s Bug, a hilarious Boston Terrier, and other pups with big personalities.

Together, they hatch a plan for revenge against Reggie’s former owner. It’s not your typical family-friendly dog movie!

The dogs go on a crazy journey filled with adult humor and crazy situations. We were shocked at some of the things these pups say and do.

But underneath all the raunchy jokes, we found a sweet story about friendship. The bond between the abandoned dogs really touched our hearts.

We won’t spoil the ending, but let’s just say karma comes for bad dog owners. This movie had us laughing and rooting for the pups the whole time.

Disclaimer: But if you realy want to se it now, watch here:

 

Cast and Crew

“Strays” brings together an amazing group of actors and filmmakers. We’re impressed by the talent involved in this movie, from the voice actors to the director and writers.

The Star-Studded Voice Cast

We’re thrilled to see Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx leading the voice cast of “Strays”. They bring so much energy to their roles. Ferrell voices Reggie, the abandoned dog, while Foxx plays his street-smart new friend.

Isla Fisher and Will Forte also lend their voices to the furry characters. We love how Fisher always brings charm to her roles. Forte is great at playing quirky characters, so we bet he’s perfect for this.

Randall Park rounds out the main cast. We’re big fans of his work in comedies, and we can’t wait to hear what he does in this movie.

Director’s Vision

Josh Greenbaum directed “Strays”, and we’re excited to see his take on this wild concept. He previously made us laugh with “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar”.

We think Greenbaum has a knack for balancing outrageous comedy with heart. It’s not easy to make a raunchy dog movie that still has warmth, but we’re betting he pulled it off.

His experience with both comedy and working with animals probably came in handy. We’re curious to see how he handled the challenges of an R-rated movie with a canine cast.

Behind-The-Scenes Contributors

Dan Perrault wrote the screenplay for “Strays”. We’re interested to see how he crafted a story about talking dogs seeking revenge. It must have been fun to write all those dog puns!

We’re also excited that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were involved as producers. They’ve made some of our favorite animated movies, so their input was likely valuable.

The team had to blend live-action dogs with CGI for the talking scenes. We can’t wait to see how seamless it looks. It must have taken a lot of work from the visual effects crew to make it believable.

Characters and Performances

Will Forte
Will Forte as Doug, Reggie’s neglectful owner

The cast of “Strays” brings both furry and human characters to life with energy and humor. We loved how the actors’ voices matched their canine counterparts perfectly.

Leading Canines

Will Ferrell voices Reggie, the naive Border Terrier. His upbeat tone fits Reggie’s optimistic nature. We found ourselves rooting for this lovable pup throughout his journey.

Jamie Foxx brings sass as Bug, the streetwise Boston Terrier. His quick wit and tough-guy attitude made us laugh out loud.

Isla Fisher voices Maggie, adding charm to the Australian Shepherd. Her performance gave depth to Maggie’s caring personality.

Human Interactions

Will Forte plays Doug, Reggie’s neglectful owner. We were surprised by how well Forte balanced comedy with Doug’s meanness.

Randall Park appears as a local vet. His deadpan delivery in his scenes with the dogs cracked us up.

Character Dynamics

The chemistry between the dog characters really shines. We loved watching Reggie and Bug’s friendship grow as they went on their adventure.

Reggie’s interactions with Doug show a sad but funny dynamic. It’s both heartbreaking and hilarious to see Reggie’s devotion to such an awful owner.

The way the dogs play off the human characters adds another layer of comedy. We couldn’t stop giggling at the misunderstandings between species.

Production Elements

We were impressed by the technical aspects that brought “Strays” to life. The film’s production elements seamlessly blend reality with movie magic to create a convincing world for our canine stars.

Animation and CGI

We noticed the minimal use of CGI in “Strays.” The filmmakers relied heavily on real dogs, which gave the movie an authentic feel. When CGI was used, it was subtle and well-executed, especially in scenes that would have been dangerous for real animals.

The dogs’ mouths were animated to match the dialogue, and we found it surprisingly convincing. It’s a testament to the VFX team’s skill that we often forgot we were watching animated mouths on real dogs.

Music and Score

The soundtrack of “Strays” caught our attention. We felt it perfectly complemented the film’s raunchy humor and emotional moments. The score heightened the comedy during outrageous scenes and tugged at our heartstrings during more poignant parts.

We appreciated how the music choices reflected the dogs’ journey, from upbeat tunes during their adventures to softer melodies in touching moments.

Cinematography

We were struck by the creative camera work in “Strays.” The cinematography often placed us at dog-level, giving us a unique perspective on the world. This approach made us feel more connected to the canine characters.

The film’s visual style balanced the gritty realism of city streets with the whimsical nature of a talking animal movie. We enjoyed how the lighting and framing shifted to match the tone of different scenes, from bright and energetic to moody and atmospheric.

Themes and Tone

“Strays” blends adult humor with heartfelt themes. We found it tackles relationships, self-worth, and unconventional comedy in surprising ways.

R-Rated Fun

We couldn’t believe how raunchy this dog movie gets! Josh Greenbaum’s flair for out-there comedy really shines here. The film is packed with swearing, poop jokes, and adult situations. It’s definitely not for kids!

We were shocked at first, but the R-rated humor grew on us. It feels fresh and daring for a talking animal movie. The dogs say and do things we never expected to see on screen.

The crude jokes aren’t just for shock value though. They often reveal character and move the story forward in clever ways.

Exploration of Relationships

“Strays” digs into some deep relationship stuff. We were surprised by how much it made us think about our own connections.

The movie looks at toxic relationships through Reggie’s bond with his abusive owner. It shows how hard it can be to break free from harmful patterns.

We also loved seeing the friendships form between the stray dogs. Their found family feels so real and touching. It reminds us that true friends can come from unexpected places.

The film explores loyalty, trust, and what it means to truly care for someone. These themes hit home for us in a big way.

Self-Discovery and Worth

Reggie’s journey really spoke to us. We watched him grow from a naive pup to a dog who values himself.

The movie tackles self-worth head-on. Reggie learns that he deserves better than the abuse he’s suffered. It’s a powerful message that resonated with us deeply.

We cheered as Reggie discovered his own strength and voice. His transformation is inspiring and relatable, even if we’re not dogs ourselves!

The other strays also find purpose and self-acceptance. Their stories add depth to the film’s exploration of personal growth and identity.

Unconventional Humor

We’ve never seen a dog movie quite like this! The raunchy R-rated twist on classic pet adventure films cracked us up.

The humor pushes boundaries in the best way. It mixes lowbrow gags with clever wordplay and situational comedy. We found ourselves laughing at things we never thought we would.

Some jokes are definitely shocking, but they usually land well. The movie knows when to go for the easy laugh and when to surprise us with something smarter.

We appreciated how the unconventional humor ties into the themes. Even the craziest jokes often reveal something about the characters or story.

Reception and Impact

dog watches movie
There are dogs, who were also interested to watch the movie ‘Strays’.

We’ve seen “Strays” make quite a splash since its release. It’s gotten people talking and laughing, but how has it really fared? Let’s take a closer look at its performance and reception.

Box Office Performance

“Strays” hit theaters with a bang. We saw it open in thousands of cinemas across the country. Universal Pictures had high hopes for this R-rated talking-dog adventure.

The movie’s unique premise drew in curious viewers. Its star-studded cast, featuring Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, was a big draw. We noticed that word-of-mouth helped boost ticket sales after the opening weekend.

While exact figures are still coming in, early reports suggest a solid performance. It may not have broken records, but it’s held its own in a crowded summer movie season.

Critical Reception

Critics had a lot to say about “Strays”. We saw a mix of reactions, but many praised its balance of raunchiness and heart. Director Josh Greenbaum’s knack for quirky comedy shone through.

Some reviewers compared it favorably to Greenbaum’s earlier work, “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar”. The film’s adult humor and clever use of its canine cast got a lot of attention.

Not all critics were won over, though. Some felt the joke wore thin after a while. But most agreed that the voice performances were top-notch.

Audience Reactions

We’ve seen audiences howl with laughter at “Strays”. Its R-rated humor struck a chord with many viewers. People seem to love the novelty of a raunchy talking-dog movie.

Social media has been buzzing with quotes and memes from the film. We’ve noticed it’s especially popular with millennials who grew up on family-friendly talking animal movies.

Some viewers found it a bit too crude for their taste. But many praised its unexpected emotional depth. The film’s themes of friendship and self-worth resonated with a lot of people.

Comparison to Other Works

“Strays” brings a fresh take on talking animal movies. We’ve seen similar themes before, but this film adds its own unique twist.

Previous Dog-Centric Films

Remember “Homeward Bound”? “Strays” feels like its raunchy R-rated cousin. We loved those sweet animal adventures as kids. Now, we get an adult version that makes us laugh in a whole new way.

The talking dogs aren’t new, but the humor sure is. “Strays” goes places family films wouldn’t dare. It’s like our childhood favorites grew up and learned some colorful language.

We can’t help but think of “The Secret Life of Pets” too. But “Strays” takes a wilder, more mature path. It’s what might happen if those pets had a wild night out.

Director’s Past Works

Josh Greenbaum isn’t new to quirky comedies. We enjoyed his work on “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar”. That film was weird and wonderful.

“Strays” keeps that off-beat humor we loved. But it cranks things up a notch. Greenbaum’s style shines through in both films.

We see his knack for balancing heart and humor. Even with raunchier jokes, there’s still warmth at the core. It’s a talent we’ve come to expect from his work.

Contemporary R-Rated Comedies

“Strays” joins the ranks of today’s bold comedies. We’ve seen a trend of pushing boundaries lately. This film fits right in with that crowd.

It reminds us of recent R-rated animated hits like “Sausage Party”. Both take familiar concepts and add adult twists. But “Strays” does it with real dogs, which feels fresh.

We can’t ignore the star power either. With Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx on board, it’s in good company. Their voices bring the same energy we love in their live-action comedies.

Conclusion

Strays
Strays

We found “Strays” to be a wild ride that caught us off guard. The raunchy humor had us laughing out loud, even when we felt a bit guilty about it.

Josh Greenbaum’s direction impressed us. He managed to balance crude jokes with genuine heart, much like he did in his previous work.

The dogs stole the show. Their performances were surprisingly emotional and hilarious. We never thought we’d root so hard for a group of foul-mouthed pups!

While not for everyone, “Strays” surprised us with its themes of friendship and revenge. It’s more than just potty humor – there’s a real story here.

We’d recommend this to anyone who likes their comedy edgy but with a soft center. Just leave the kids at home for this one!

The complete movie can be ordered here:

Strays
Strays DVD

Frequently Asked Questions

Strays
Strays

We’ve been seen lots of questions about “Strays” since it came out. People want to know about the reviews, cast, themes, and if it’s worth watching. Let’s tackle some of the most common questions we’ve heard.

What kind of reviews has the movie ‘Strays’ received on Rotten Tomatoes?

The rating is 53% (critics) and 69% (audience). But from what we’ve seen, critics seem to have mixed feelings about ‘Strays’. Some praise the wacky comedy, while others aren’t so impressed.

Who are the main cast members of the movie ‘Strays’?

The movie features an all-star cast, including Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx. We’re not sure about all the roles, but these two big names definitely caught our attention.

What themes are explored in the movie ‘Strays’ as directed by Josh Greenbaum?

“Strays” dives into some pretty deep stuff. It looks at toxic relationships and finding self-worth. We think it’s cool how they tackle these themes using talking dogs.

How do audiences typically feel after watching ‘Strays’? Is it considered a sad movie?

From what we can tell, “Strays” isn’t meant to be a sad movie. It’s described as a raunchy, revenge-filled talking-dog adventure comedy. We think most people probably leave feeling entertained rather than sad.

Can ‘Strays’ be recommended as a movie worth watching, according to general audience opinions?

Given its unique take on the genre and star-studded cast, we think it might be worth checking out if you’re into quirky comedies.

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