Stray Dogs

While far from and Original concept, Stray Dogs Still packs an emotional Whallop, Thanks mainly to the strength of Dot Marie Jones, whose powerful commanding presence and use as the emotional lightening rod carries the film firmly on her broad shoulders. She elevates the film above sub par whenever she is on screen and brings out the best in the cast, especially in her beautiful scenes with young Zach Grey, whom she seems to have formed a rather wonderful Paternal/maternal bond with over the the process of the filmmaking. What could have produced a rather dry , over down Tennesee Williams play, is completely rescued by this awesome performance by Miss Jones, thus making the film worth seeing, if only to watch how the strength of one actress can save an entire film.

"Stray Dogs" is probably the most unbearable 90 minutes of slow-plotted, cliche-ridden material and stereotypes ever committed to celluloid.

The plot goes like a feminist version of a John Steinbeck book: A tired southern mother struggles to raise her two wild children and stay in a marriage to an alcoholic husband.

If the story sounds tired, so is every scene and line of dialogue. We've seen all these characters before - from the dedicated/independent house-wife to the abusive, redneck father in his giant truck. The director obviously spent her entire time pulling realistic performances from the actors, but forgot to inject anything unique into their characters (let alone the story).

The last 20 minutes feature the "drunk father stereotype" brandishing a shotgun and ranting about the books of the Bible, while wife and sister try to get through the night safely. This is neither intense or moving, as you're just waiting for the inevitable "powerful death scene" to send the audience bursting into tears when the credits roll.

The director claimed she chose this film from a play to pay homage to the old Tennessee Williams stories...but after viewing the film, it seems more like an obvious excuse for working with the most unoriginal material ever written.

The results are a boring Hollywood flick with emotions in place of explosions.