Review: ‘Strays’ a vulgar, messy, guilty pleasure led by Jamie Foxx, Will Ferrell

Hypocrisy would be my name if I didn’t confess to laughing, even howling, at moments in the dog-centric comedy “Strays.”

Produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the subversive, scatologically incorrect humor fits in with their offbeat senses of humor — even if they didn’t write or direct it. Those honors go to Dan Perrault and Josh Greenbaum (“Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar”), respectively.

And they plunge into the adult (meaning potty and sexual) humor headfirst and with unabashed glee to craft a guilty pleasure that’s relished in the theater and easily forgotten upon leaving it.

More: Jamie Foxx had 'a great few nights in Vegas' months after hospitalization: See the photo

It’s the type of movie that will have rabid defenders and staunch detractors, and both sides will be right. I personally felt as if I was suffering from a split personality while watching — being blown away by my own gales of laughter while simultaneously groaning and wallowing in my guilt for laughing at some of what appeared on the screen.

Told from a pup’s perspective — one named Reggie (Will Ferrell). to be exact, it features some hilarious voice work from a cast that obvious bought into Reggie’s tale of woe.

Reggie is an abused dog, but doesn’t realize it. His amoral owner Doug (Will Forte) does little more than smoke weed, practice the art of self-pleasure and abuse Reggie. That mistreatment culminates in Doug driving the pooch three hours away and dumping him on the streets of a strange city to be rid of him.

There he meets Bug (Jamie Foxx) who teaches him the way of urban life with the help of two domesticated friends Hunter (Randall Park) and Maggie (Isla Fisher). They soon get Reggie to realize that Doug was indeed an abuser, steeling the mutt’s resolve to get some modicum of revenge.

They set out on a quest to get back to Doug’s home so Reggie can bite his former master in a sensitive and painful part of the body.

Along the way, they encounter assorted obstacles that challenge them and test the boundaries of good taste. For the record: There doesn’t appear to be any boundaries. Everyone should know that going in.

But what Greenbaum allows his cast to do is to just let it all fly. Foxx, in particular, delivers a vulgar, hilarious turn as Bug with his castmates ably instilling their respective characters with assorted neuroses to provide laughs.

Greenbaum doesn’t belabor the point. “Strays” comes in at an economical 93 minutes, which doesn’t give the proceedings a lot of time to get bogged down.

It’s fun, vulgar and represents one of those films meant to be enjoyed on multiple occasions late at night with beers and friends. There exist other things in life that are worse for you.

George M. Thomas dabbles in movies and television for the Beacon Journal.

Review

Movie: “Strays”

Cast: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Randall Park

Directed by: Josh Greenbaum

Running time: 1 hour 33 minutes

Rated: R for pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and drug use.

Grade: B-

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Review: Movie goes to the dogs with ‘Strays’