Get the Dog - Verrückt nach Liebe

Lost and Found: boy meets girl, boy wants girl, boy kidnaps girl's dog to get close to her, but cheating ex-fiance who wants girl back is determined to foil boy. Amazingly enough this is the actual plot (there is a sub-plot involving a struggling restaurant and a lost ring…). This movie is pure Hollywood formula, with very little originality and several noticeable lulls. What is even more amazing is that this movie is actually funny.

In his first solo film outing David Spade does not ask us to make a big leap of faith -Dylan Ramses could have been any character from his SNL days, or Dennis from Just Shoot Me. This translates into some snappy, sarcastic, and funny dialogue. Sophia Marceau as Lila Dubois is gorgeous and vulnerable when she needs to be - exactly what is expected of her. Jon Lovitz also adds a few laughs as a vet with special talents.

If you are in for some light humor, without violence, coarse language and nudity (okay, one male behind) this movie may be for you. But hold off until Tuesday night, or better yet, wait the three weeks it will take to move to the second run theaters (of course there's always video).

The idea of David Spade being cast in a romantic comedy opposite french beauty Sophie Marceau is a real head-scratcher. But the movie sort of works. Spade plays Dylan, a restaurant owner who's hot for his new neighbor Lila Dubois (Sophie Marceau). Just by looking at the poster of this movie, it's pretty clear that Lila is totally out of Dylan's league. Dylan realizes this when Lila's rich ex-boyfriend, Rene (Patrick Bruel), shows up. So, to impress Lila and make her forget about her ex, he kidnaps her dog and plans to become a hero by returning it to her later.

Despite the lack of any real chemistry between Spade and Morceau and the rather silly plot,'Lost & Found' can be entertaining. You just have to suspend belief and not really think while watching. But still I'd take 'Lost & Found' over any other flops by other former SNL clowns, did anyone say 'Corky Romano'.

Rating: (6/10)

David Spade is a very funny man, but his brand of comedy gets real old real quick. He admittedly relies largely on his weaknesses to be funny. You know, the sarcasm, the blow-dried hair, the all-around geekiness. Unfortunately, it seems that he never really tried to develop his acting skills. I have laughed myself to tears because of David Spade in his two best movies, Black Sheep and Tommy Boy (in both of which he played virtually that exact same character), but Lost & Found just wasn't amusing to me. Too much reliance on fourth grade humor and not enough of anything new for anything really good to be said of the film.

And what was Sophie Marceau thinking?! She went from playing a significant (although relatively small) role in the spectacular 1995 epic Braveheart to this garbage? She must have been pretty desperate. Sure, she looked good in the movie, but the film itself is totally inconsequential and immediately forgettable.

David Spade revealed in interviews just before the theatrical release of Lost & Found that he was worried about how the public would react to an actor with his iconography actually getting the girl, and frankly, I think he should have thought about that a long time ago. Watching David Spade kiss someone as stunningly beautiful as Sophie Marceau is like watching a junior high school kid make out with a 30 year old woman. Disturbing, to say the least.

The entire film was a jumbled mess of goofy and pointless jokes and bonehead antics, mainly on the part of Spade, as he tries to keep his idiot dog-napping scheme a secret. The gay jokes, the making fun of the foreign guy (whether he deserved it or not), the fact that Spade spends any amount of on-screen time at all running around naked all come together to form a boring comedy that should be blissfully ignored by everyone. Just look at the cover of the movie. David Spade is naked and covering himself with a small dog. This is not something that you want to purposely subject yourself to.

Who would have thought that SNL alumni David Spad could prove worthy of a romantic lead? Well, he pulls off the romantic underdog so well that I couldn't help fall in love with him. Spade plays a resteraunt owner who falls for his next door neighbor. Some of the best scenes in the film are between Spade and his single white female like friend played by Arte Lange. Also, keep an eye out for some tv veterans like Marla Gibs(The Jeffersons), Rose Marie(Dick Van Dyke Show) and Estelle Harris(Seinfeild). Martin Sheen also makes a cameo in what is perhaps the memorable scene in the film. The scene, in which Spade gives an enjoyable rendition of Neil Diamonds "Brother Loves Show", will go down in my film history as "Best use of a Neil Diamond song in the film", next to the men in "Beautiful Girls" when they sing "Sweet Caroline", but I digress. I love this film. "Lost & Found" is great for anyone who has ever felt like the romantic underdog. Don't miss this one.

I thought this movie was pretty funny and one of David Spade's finer moments in his career. I'm not a huge fan of his(I'm more of a Sandler type guy). But he does some good stuff.

Dylan has just fallen in love with his new neighbor, Lila. He can't seem to get her attention though. So he "dognaps" her dog and plans to give it back and be a hero. But the dog ate his best friend's wedding present so he has to get it back and hijinks ensue as he must deal with the dog, his restaurant and Lila's ex-boyfriend.

This movie had several good things about it. Artie Lange had the funniest scenes. People may call him a Farley-wannabe, but I think he's just as funny as him, if not funnier. Jon Lovitz also has a funny cameo.

Good stuff. 8/10