Review of The Secret Life of Pets (2016) by Ian G — 02 Sep 2016

The second best animated film of the summer behind Finding Dory in terms of gross, Secret Lives of Pets pretty much is a what you see is what you get type of film in a good way. Ever wonder whats happens when your owners go to work? The audience dives into a brownstone apt in NYC to investigate just that, specifically when puppy Max gets a new roommate in a much shaggier and bigger dog Buddy and begin to play the odd couple which cranks up to 11 when they accidently get separated from their dog walker earlier in the day and let loose in Brooklyn.

There is a couple of decent scenes that riff off the concept of the trailer throughout whether it be the Old Timer beagles speakeasy or Kevin James' underground resistance for flushed pets, but otherwise acts slightly like an updated model for the Looney toons driving more gags back skewing a little more adult coming out of cutsie pets as opposed to the balanced story and heart model.

Solid for what it is but not going to rob Dory of the best animated film prize come Oscar time.