Whose Voice Is the Dog in the Art of Racing in the Rain

April 27, 2022 Post a Comment

Spoiler alert! The post-obit reveals plot details of "The Art of Racing in the Rain."

Yes, "The Fine art of Racing in the Rain" made me cry. Duh.

But you probably already knew that if you learned the bare minimum well-nigh the new film adjusted from the Garth Stein novel of the same proper noun: It'southward a dramatic tale about a dog.

As for where it ranks on the emotional canine-story scale, I should note I was always besides scared to watch "Marley & Me," because I was concerned for my ain boxer's health around the time it came out. But whereas "Marley" was a sad dog movie disguised as a Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson rom-com, "The Fine art of Racing" (in theaters at present). doesn't pretend to exist anything other than a pet lover'southward saga.

And unlike "A Dog's Journey," the movie franchise that pet lovers have already watched through wet eyes, "The Art of Racing in the Pelting" feels like a more earned tearjerker. Information technology doesn't deliver sobs by repeatedlykilling and reincarnating dogs, and it doesn't give its canine star the unfunny inner monologue of a 4-year-old.

Instead, "Fine art of Racing" follows ane canis familiaris, golden retriever Enzo, with Kevin Costner as our sage furry narrator, the all-knowing best friend of race-automobile driver Denny (Milo Ventimiglia).

Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner) is a wise golden retriever who narrates his life with Denny (Kevin Costner).

It'due south through Enzo's wise words that this moving picture wrecks you. I'm not talking a single tear; I mean full-on sobbing. (Though the pic didn't quite achieve the pillow-soaked level of hysterics brought on by Netflix's documentary series "Dogs," which, in its first episode, follows a young daughter with epilepsy who meets her service canis familiaris.)

Even when I spotter Enzo run through the rain in the trailer, I virtually tear up. Can you imagine what sitting through the movie was like for me?

Well, I'll tell y'all. Here'south a breakdown of how the 110-minute movie went on a sniffle-to-sob scale.

Seriously, this is your last warning: Stop reading now if you don't want to know what happens.

xv minutes in: Choked upwards, clutching tissues

At the beginning of the movie, we meet an old, feeble Enzo. His story is told equally a flashback, starting when Denny get-go picks him out of a litter. The pup speedily bonds with his man over a shared love of fast cars, and becomes something of a pit dog at the racetrack Denny frequents.

Years laissez passer. Enzo is no longer a puppy, and he isn't besides keen on Denny spending time with a new woman, Eve (Amanda Seyfried).

"You don't heed if I honey him, besides?" Eve eventually asks the pooch. Enzo might mind a bit, merely he makes the near beautiful ring bearer at their wedding ceremony, regardless. I can't stand it.

Denny (Milo Ventimiglia) and Eve (Amanda Seyfried) get married with the help of ring-bearing dog Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner).

30 minutes in: My face contorts to some ugly sob shape

When Denny and Eve welcome their first child, Enzo gets a little homo sister, Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). "When she would tell her playmates that I was her large blood brother, my center would swell with pride," Enzo says. I feel a lump in my throat growing. Information technology hurts.

50 minutes in: I'thousand trying to stifle a sniffle

And then the happy throat lump becomes a sad i: Things start to get extremely depressing.

Eve has a final affliction. Enzo stays awake all nighttime to watch over her, just can't protect her. Eve dies, and Enzo tries to distract Zoe with a toy. She rebuffs him, so the dog focuses on a grieving Denny.

"Information technology would autumn to me to provide what he needed," the thoughtful pooch says every bit he approaches his master, leash in mouth. The all-time boy.

Enzo's family celebrates the birthday of little girl Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) in "The Art of Racing in the Rain."

1 hour in: First full tear falls down my face up

At this indicate, the movie has combined many dramatic elements that could exist tear-inducing on their own: sickness, a child coming of historic period, a canis familiaris existence eternally loyal and then, the finisher, the dog being hitting by a car. Information technology's all too much and now some saltwater has finally escaped my eyeball. Woof.

At least Enzo survives the accident. For a while.

1 hour, 30 minutes: Now I'one thousand straight-up sobbing

Equally the movie starts heading toward the dying-dog portion of the story, there's no more fourth dimension for polite alone tears. Now I'm running out of tissue infinite for the mascara that'due south cascading downward my cheeks. Let information technology pelting!

1 hour, 45 minutes: I'm almost hiccuping now

Enzo is a race-car driver at heart. Here, he gets a joy ride with Denny (Milo Ventimiglia).

It'southward gotten to the point where I'grand trying not to accept involuntary cry-breaths. I scrunch my face in an effort to stay as quiet every bit possible as tears leak out of my eyes and – this is new – nose.

The catastrophe, which hints that Enzo has been reincarnated every bit a boy who loves racing, is outrageously corny, simply I don't care. I watch it and weep harder.

Minutes later, I feel relief. As though I have been purged of stress. I feel at-home. Hours later, my optics sting from having done so much crying.

Full disclosure: I'm writing this while petting my friend's golden retriever. (Did I invite myself over and invite the domestic dog to rest on my lap as I blazon? Aye, yes I did.) Likewise: I first read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" right after my dog died. Could that hateful I experience more of an emotional connection to the story than the average moving picture fan? Perhaps; results may vary.