Art of Racing in the Rain, The Blu-ray

The Art of Racing in the Rain was a wonderful movie for my husband and I to watch. I wanted to see it because I love Milo Ventimiglia who plays Jack Pearson on the show This Is Us. I was a bit worried that I would get upset because dog movies get to me especially if I feel like the dog in the movie wasn't treated well or the subject matter is about abuse. However, that was not at all the case with this movieThe story is told through the eyes and mind of Enzo, the dog. He takes us through his life with Denny, an aspiring race care driver, from the day they met through his old age. We see him adapt to Denny's new wife and child as he gives us his thoughts about everything that is going on in their lives and how he sees humans from his point of view. He deeply loves his owner and, eventually, loves Denny's wife and daughter as well. I liked that this movie wasn't an intentional constant tear jerker and that there were light moments and a full story line about the human characters.Everything about the movie was done right in my opinion. Casting, Kevin Costner as the voice of Enzo, the way the entire movie played out... It was just beautiful. The ending was sad and uplifting at the same time. Of course, I had tears in my eyes throughout the movie but I am like that when it comes to movies about animals because I am a huge animal lover and truly feel they have a lot more going on in their heads than people give them credit for.This movie is such a nice change from all of the violent or foul movies out there. I am no prude and watch all genres but it was good to watch a movie that I could share with anyone from the oldest to the youngest and not be embarrassed by the language or scenes. Also, unlike some movies where the animal is the "main character", this didn't come off as corny or silly. There were a few scenes that elicited a chuckle out of us but, in general, Enzo came of as a real dog with real thoughts and feelings and deep love for his humans.If you're a fan of fast paced thrillers or action films, this won't be for you. But if you're an animal lover and want to watch a touching movie that gives you all the feels without seeming to try too hard, this one is it. I don't care what the critics have to say about it, The Art of Racing in the Rain is truly beautiful movie filled with touching scenes as well as gritty reality. I loved it. I am now going to read the book because I have heard there is so much more to Enzo's story than the movie could portray. I'm not quite ready to let this one go without soaking in more of the human/dog connection I just experienced.

A good friend told me, after learning I had bought the movie, that she did not see the movie, on purpose, because she enjoyed the book so much. Not having known of the book when I bought the movie, I understood. Movie plots are driven by dialogue and action. Books can be more cerebral, to better understand motivations behind those actions.But this film is different. The reason is it is narrated by a dog. We see the actions of the characters. We hear their dialogue. But, we also have a running commentary of these in the observations, and the visual cues provided by a Golden Retreiver, Enzo. Enzo provides insight into the meaning of life, and his hope of one day being reincarnated as a man. He also speaks of the wonders and trials of family, and his, along with Denny's, shared love of racing.As in any movie, there are some differences from the book. Most are abbreviated statements by Enzo, and are compensated for by the visuals of him. There is one entire scene ommitted, though. This has to do with a family gathering, which leads to a nude scene in the book, which if included in the film, would have changed it from a G to an R rating. The scene substituted makes more sense, and preserves the family rating of the film.Another scene is moved from the middle of the book, to the next to last scene in the film, and for me, makes it much stronger. This is the scene where Denny takes an aging and infirm Enzo to the track, to give him a ride in a Ferrari Testarossa. This is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of Enzo's, to ride shotgun on the track in a race car. "I have never, ever, felt so special." During the ride, Enzo speaks of life, of Denny's future driving for Ferrari, and of his not to be fulfilled desire to see it. "But for now, all I want is for one more lap. Just one more. I'll bark again, so he knows. Faster, Denny! Faster!"I'll leave the last scene of the film for you to draw your own conclusions, as it has to do with Denny having achieved his dream to drive Formula One cars, and a precocious young go cart driver, who idolizes him, whose name happens to be Enzo.

There are MANY movies in the genre of "dog narrating on the life of his host family". In many ways, this follows the format of that, explaining how his owner finds his wife, their journey of having kids, managing careers and family crises, and how the dog's life and ultimate death will impact the family. Milo Ventimiglia shines in his starring role as Denny. He brings the right mix of a wonderful dog-owner, supportive husband, devoted father, and wise race-car driver. Amanda Seyfried is great as his supportive, but ultimately doomed wife. What sets this movie apart for me though, is that they don't waste their time with cheap theatrics or plot devices. Sure, they have some unique philosophy that says that not only do dogs have souls but that "good dogs" get to eventually be reincarnated as humans in their next life. Weird. But all of this seems to come up naturally in light of the events of the movie. The wife gets cancer. Yeah, that is a good place to talk about the philosophy of dying and what that means to the narrator dog. The worldbuilding fits in with the pace of the narrative and does so in a subtle, but powerful way. I also just LIKE this dog and their family more than other movies of the same genre. I like the sound of the narrator dog's voice. He's a good dog in every sense of the word. His owner and his family seem like really good people. Sure, they have bad things happen to them, but everyone seems to be trying to make the best of their situations and trying to pull together as a family. It's rare for me to like most of the characters in a movie, much less because they're actually good people, but this movie has that. This is the top movie for this genre for me and I'm really glad I have this movie added to my collection.

Great movie