Strays is very much what it advertises itself as -- and isn't afraid to embrace that to fully comedic effect. Universal's adult-orientented talking dog comedy plays with the conventions of its genre, poking fun at the legacy of films like Marley & Me and Homeward Bound. Not for those squeamish about poop and sex jokes, Strays does an admirably solid -- if overall slight -- job in terms of raw goofy comedy. But the Chris Miller & Phil Lord-produced comedy has a surprisingly strong heart that grounds it throughout, lending it a greater emotional throughline than one might expect at first glance.
Strays focuses on Reggie (Will Ferrell), a sweet-natured and constantly gullible dog who lives with the perpetual scumbag Doug (Will Forte). Having only taken the dog to spite an ex, Doug's efforts to get rid of Reggie constantly fail -- as the eager-to-please dog constantly makes his way home whenever he's thrown away. After being abandoned in an entirely different city though, Reggie has had enough. Convinced to embrace his newfound status as a stray by the stand-offish but secretly sweet Bug (Jamie Foxx), Reggie decides to get revenge on Doug once and for all. Desperate to find Doug before he's forced to vacate his home, Reggie and Bug -- alongside Bug's friends, a skilled tracker named Maggie (Isla Fisher) and a neebish former police dog named Hunter (Randall Park) -- embark on a journey to help Reggie get vengeance.
Strays largely follows the standard plot of "films from the dog's perspective" like Homeward Bound, charting the personal growth that the four dogs go through while surviving both the dangers of the wilderness and their interpretation of humanity. Filtered through an R-rated comedic lens, Strays leans into the lowest common denominator to solid effect. There are plenty of poop, drug, and sex jokes throughout Strays, some landing more effectively than others. It's coupled with a handful of unexpected comedy cameos, surprise encounters with other animals, and a subplot about the slow-burn (and penis-centric) love story between Maggie and Hunter -- old-fashioned bits about dogs misinterpreting human behavior don't offer any surprises but consistently earn chuckles.
Some of the more bizarre and blunt turns and gags -- often driven by the characters themselves instead of the situation -- work better, such as Hunter's inability to fully commit to howling or Maggie's positive fury at her social-media-obsessed owner. Directed with a colorful and goofy glee by Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar), Dan Perrault's surprisingly heartfelt script is the film's secret weapon. While the cast is clearly having fun playing the broad comedy for the biggest audience possible, Stray's best moments come from its approach to some surprisingly heartfelt elements.
The film's overarching thematic throughline, using flawed human/dog connections as a metaphor for escaping an abusive relationship, shines throughout. Reggie's arc is entirely based on the challenges he faces in overcoming his lingering feelings for his awful owner Doug -- played to perfection by a fully-game and comically awful Forte. The results can be genuinely affecting, the dogs are a blend of CGI and live-action that find a surprising emotional balance found between the animal actor and Ferrell's performance. Likewise, Bug's arc isn't surprising in the slightest but bolstered by a committed vocal performance from Foxx -- all while playing as a strong contrast to Reggie's personal arc.
Overall, Strays is a largely slight comedy -- the kind of silly film that commits to its bit with enough emotion to be compelling. It knows better than to overstay its welcome, a goofy early 2000s comedy with enough earnestness to be fun. It's broad and a little by the numbers, but a funny and effective throughout. While it has fun riffing on the archetypes of its genre, the film is best when it leans into its very specific character comedy (whose central cast just so happens to all be dogs) about escaping a toxic situation. Strays may not be revolutionary, but thanks to solid work behind the scenes, a gleefully crass sense of humor, and surprisingly strong heart, it's an entertaining and affecting piece -- especially for pet owners.
Strays opens in theaters Aug. 18.