Bark!

The worst thing the makers of this movie ever did was to categorize it as a comedy. But, they did a lot of things, right, too.

True to its name, "Bark" irritates within minutes of its endurance. You want to shake, Lucy, the barking woman. You are embarrassed for Peter, her husband. You ask yourself, "how could someone possibly endure this?" What the heck is funny about this? But, if you're able to get past the woefully misleading idea that this is going to be a funny movie, things begin to change.

Serious questions are posed. How would you react to a loved one's inexplicable decline into madness? If you were poor, how would you find help? Would you lock them away? Would you endure the madness...or, would you embrace the madness?

I agree with most of the professional pundits in some questionable casting - Lisa Kudrow, especially. Kudrow is a little too wacky, as is D'onofrio's character. But, it's valid to suggest that only humans who are "bent" in someway themselves, would ultimately forgive the eccentricities of others - even to the clinical degree.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who has lived with someone dealing with mental challenge issues. But, while it's light in parts, it's no comedy. And it's not at all as bad as you might expect.

Sean "good boy" Trapani

Peter's (Lee Tergeson) young wife Lucy (Heather Morgan) begins to act like a dog. 'Bark' is a naturalistic account, told with some flashbacks but mostly in chronological order, of how Peter comes to understand how Lucy has gradually slipped off the edge of sanity. What makes 'Bark' a comedy is Peter's success at creating a home and a family of friends for Lucy.

Although mentally ill people have been treated before with levity (think of Dustin Hoffman in 'Rain Man') I can recall no other film that has approached the subject with such tenderness. Scenes of Peter bathing Lucy and of their apartment manager yelling through the ceiling to get her to stop barking and go back to sleep are original and memorable. Lisa Kudrow is hysterical as a neurotic veterinarian named Darla Portnoy, and Vincent D'Onofrio is convincing as the sad-sack psychiatric resident Malcolm who would rather play the harp.

I really wanted to see this movie because it has one of my favorite actors, Lee Tergesen, in it. While he did a great job as a leading man, the movie was very slow and the plot boring. The premise could have been dealt with better, perhaps with more insight into what caused Lucy to act like a dog. Vincent DiNofrio was also very good. There were a lot of scenes in the movie that make no sense, like when Lucy's parents come to visit. The relationship between Peter and the vet (Lisa Kudrow) made no sense at all. Also, the ending leaves a giant question mark to a movie that already makes no sense. This movie isn't really worth your time, unless you want to see Lee Tergesen in a staring role.

Lee Tergesen and Heather Morgan saved the movie. Both actors played their parts beautifully. The movie has a very intelligent, sensitive story line, comedy only in the traditional sense - no one dies. Was pleased also that it was not a traditional "happy, Hollywood" ending.

Especially loved Lee "standing up" to the Psycho MD… won't give away the rest.

Lisa Kudrow was Kudrow… Is she really that ditzy in real life, that she's always cast in absolute idiot roles?

And what was with Vincent D'Onofrio? Have never seen him before so I don't know if he's just yet another idiot. His character was such a caricature.

What were all those "lunatic" people there for? They didn't really add anything to the plot. The plot stood on it's own. The "nuts" were superfluous.

Despite all but two of the cast, the movie is worth seeing. The theme of mental illness is extremely well and sensitively portrayed.

This is a very smart and nicely played dramatic comedy that really deals effectively with mental illness. I saw it at the Method Fest in Pasadena (www.methodfest.com) and the Producer talked afterwards which was interesting. Very intelligent, believable and fun writing from the Barker/Writer that conveyed the sensitivity of the author.

Vincent D'Onofrio was especially interesting and compelling in a hilarious harp playing intern role and of course Lisa Kudrow was a blast. I thought Heather Morgan was very sweet. Overall great cast.

Watch for the scene where they are all in the living room together as well as when Lucy's family shows up, amazing!