John Travolta joins forces once more with director Walt Becker and seasoned actor Robin Williams to create their latest Disney family comedy for Thanksgiving, “Old Dogs”.
Travolta plays thriving bachelor Charlie who together with his long-time childhood friend, recent divorcee Dan (Robin Williams) hold up successful sports-marketing agency. As they are about to close the deal that would skyrocket their business with a Japanese conglomerate, they get an unexpected surprise from Dan’s ex-wife Vicki (Kelly Preston) from a one-day Vegas marriage. One day she knocks on Dan’s door to break him the news that he’d have to take look over his 7-year old twins (Ella Bleu Travolta and Connor Rayburn) he wasn’t even aware existed. Due to a political protest for eco-terrorism, she’s sentenced to serve two weeks time in jail leaving her no choice but to leave her kids with their dad. As business dilemmas pile up, the duo are faced with sudden fatherhood responsibilities.
Similar to its comedy predecessors under Disney, the film is a combination of overrated comedy infused with heart-warming moments. Ironically Disney never fails to add an unlikely twist to their films. For “Old Dogs” it’s in the form of Charlie’s aging 9-year-old dog Sebastian who makes reacts comically to the antics of the duo with creative human-like expressions transformed into canine grunts.
David Diamond and David Weissman’s screenplay doesn’t give much for the duo actors to work on. Though their energy and chemistry is life-saving for their characters, the film’s plot and production doesn’t give justice to the two talented actors. Humour used in the film is cruel with no single moment where an extra or a co-actor is hit on the groin, peed by a dog, humiliated by people or elbowed on the gut. I think the studio had forgotten the film was supposedly a family movie with kids watching.
Noticeably though it’s a family affair for the cast as the film unites daddy Travolta with his wife Kelly and daughter Ella Bleu’s debut performance on big screen.
