Review of Old Dogs (2009) by Omotestgump — 02 Apr 2023

Williams and Travolta are fine actors, but their careers have taken a turn for the worse in recent years. This comedy, starring the two of them together, is no exception.

It's nice to see big-name actors being amusing. (It's probably the only place you'll ever see Travolta with a drawn face.) However, their hilarious energy doesn't play much of a role in this film. As is often the case in comedies with gorgeous actors (Meet the Fockers. I don't care about the rest.) the producers are so convinced that the movie will sell that they even adopt silly ideas without thinking too hard. Rita Wilson as a hand model who gets her hand caught in the trunk of a Volvo, two people getting bear **** on their faces, Seth Green getting hugged by a gorilla - did you like any of these gags? (They're all silly ideas. I do like Seth Green getting hugged by a gorilla, though.) The gorgeous actors are buried under these unimaginative laughs.

The first part of the film may be fast developing and fun. But since the theme is children, the fast pace is lost and the focus is primarily on the child and their lives together. The child interferes with work, the child sends e-mails to clients without permission, the child switches places on medications that have strong side effects, the child, the child, the child ... the child ... the child ... the child ... the child ... the child. Kids don't do much interesting stuff. In this kind of movie, if the kid gets sick of it, it's no longer good enough.

Williams and Travolta's hilarious energy and the other great actors are buried in the film's silly gag ideas. And the kids, who don't do much of anything funny, are too depressing.