Pet Therapy - Un cane per amico

Jon Katz (Jeff Bridges) is under pressured to write his next book. He's alone with two dogs. His wife has left him and his daughter Emma (Lauren Ambrose) is away at college. A fan sends him a rescue Border Collie named Devon for him to help. Devon has been abused and is unmanageable. Emma returns to find a mess. Devon continues to chase school buses. Jon rents a farmhouse to write in isolation. Local handyman Anthony Armstrong (Domhnall Gleeson) sends him to dog trainer Lois Blair (Lois Smith).

This is based on Jon Katz's book about his real life with his rescued border collie. This is a little too bare bones. There isn't any drama. There isn't much story. There is a bit of character but it would be better to fill it out more. This could have given him a scene with his wife at the beginning. This could have given a sense of what he writes about. His scenes with his daughter are great but this needs more.

Jeff bridges : is truly a legend.

its a sweet movie about a writer and his dog. enjoyed the movie thoroughly. The movie was simple and straight. Heart warming and happy ending.

Must watch for every dog owner. Or any animal owner or animal lover for that matter.

This movie is quite informative for inexperienced dog owners. Gives you a gist of how to care for an animal that has been through some trauma or is getting used to a new home.

a must watch for every animal lover !

For me the most important aspect of Jeff Bridges as an actor, is he is believable and real. I don't know if I would have rated the film any higher without his performance as Jon Katz the main character in the story. The film style is simplistic but projects a realistic view of what it's like to have a highly active and abused dog. What is most memorable to me are the few simple scenes that Jeff Bridges shares with Devon. I was so pleased that he filmmaker did not take a "Disney" format approach to the subject and presented in its true from.

If there is one criticism I have with the film is that I'm never explained the psyche of the main character Jon Katz. Why is he stubborn and unyielding and refusing to listen to other people's advice. We are told that he is an "mad" by the trainer but there is no evidence or background to support this.

These to me are minor points but worth mentioning. In all it was a very believable and realistic approach to the subject.

As it turns out, the guy in question is writer Jon Katz (Jeff Bridges), who is not only suffering from a midlife crisis, but also from writer's block.

Jon takes in a rescue dog offered to him by one of his readers. The dog is Devon, a young border collie with issues - and I mean serious issues. Jon has two gorgeous Labradors of his own, who are well trained and obedient. Devon is the opposite, and seems impossible to train.

Jon's wife has moved out to give them 'space'. We never see this character in the film and Jon only has telephone conversations with her. His daughter Emma comes to visit, but she too has a difficult time reconnecting with her father.

With Devon becoming a terror to the neighborhood, Jon decides to rent a farm in the country, where he hopes to train Devon, and find inspiration to write. What follows, is big character development for both man and dog.

As a big dog lover, I instantly connected with the movie, the characters, and off course the dog(s). This is an entertaining movie that never becomes silly, unbelievable or sentimental. It felt realistic and relatable, with a simple premise.

Not your typical dog movie - here the dog actually acts like a real dog. No talking animals, no over-the-top staged smarts or heroics. It plays more like an episode of the Dog Whisperer - BEFORE they call in Cesar. Bridges plays a semi-creepy sad sack of a blocked writer who, through somewhat unclear circumstances, unwittingly and unwillingly adopts the border collie from hell. Having adopted a somewhat crazed border collie myself, I can say the dogs behavior and interactions with Bridges are spot on, and there is no need for the typical Hollywood (c.f. Beethoven) hyperbole - the dog is not quite the lovable scamp, and the Bridges' Katz is not a wholly sympathetic character. With a little unwelcome help from his friends, peace is eventually made between the writer and his dog. That's the good - the bad is this movie seems to be the anti-Marley - we only get a bare smattering of how the "adoption" came to pass, what the hell is going on between Katz and his family, and what happened to the other yellow lab? One gets the sense of script problems and/or a heavy hand in the editing room, which is too bad because while these details are not important, the missing pieces are distracting, and flaw this otherwise refreshingly realistic, yet still eminently watchable dog flick.