THE MOVIE PAGES presents MOLLY SHANNON in YEAR OF THE DOG yearofthedog.htm

What Do The Critics Say?

"Year of the Dog is a feel-good, feel-bad movie about personal choice in the face of an overwhelming world. It brings more than you expect and leaves you wondering. How extraordinarily brave."
Tom Long DETROIT NEWS
"Finally, in "Year of the Dog" Shannon has found a project that amply plunges her persona for laughs and sighs."
Phil Villarreal ARIZONA DAILY STAR
"With smashing performances and plenty of heart, it joins Bobcat Goldthwait’s recent "Sleeping Dogs" as a worthy addition to 2007’s woof and ready hall of fame."
Elliott Noble SKY MOVIES
"Is Year of the Dog a comedy? A tragedy? A celebration? A cautionary tale? Actually, it’s all of the above."
Ross W Butler KANSAS STAR
"As you would expect from a writer like Mike White, "Year Of The Dog" is a smartly scripted, darkly funny work. But from Molly Shannon's performance to White's own ability as a director of actors, there are plenty of pleasant surprises here."
James Mottram CHANNEL 4 FILM

"This is a lovely little film about discovering your inner self, the passion that drives you, and then coming out with it."
Rich Cline SHADOWS ON THE WALL
"Year of the Dog succeeds in drawing you in, making you look at the world from her perspective. By the end of the movie, you will recognize what kind of a person she is -- and you'll understand how she came to be that way."
Paige Wiser CHICAGO SUN TIMES
"There's a lot of truth and beauty in "Year of the Dog", and most of it radiates from the performance of Molly Shannon."
Bruce Newman SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
"With this film Mike White once again proves that he's got an eye for darkness and an ear for character that truly puts what passes for comedy in most films these days to shame."
Scott Collura IGN MOVIES
"Year of the Dog is one of those quirky little movies that you marvel ever got made while being supremely grateful that it did. It's hard to even categorize."
Ruthe Stein SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

The Inside Story Years ago, most people would have been horrified at the thought of animals visiting hospitals, nursing homes and respite centres, let alone taking up permanent residence as is often the case with nursing homes these days. When this happened, the words companion animals or as some refer to them as, 'comforters', took on a whole new meaning. Having companion animals, or pets as we call them, has long been a part of humankinds makeup. Well at least for most of us it has. The biggest drawback for those of us who have pets is the grieving process that follows when a pet, who has become one of the family, passes away or tragically, has to have its life terminated. The loss of a pet can have a profound effect on a dedicated, loving, individual pet owner. In the case of a family with young children, the loss can, if not handled properly, leave scars that can last a lifetime. For most youngsters, the loss of their pet will be their first experience with death and should not be taken lightly. It needs to be handled with sensitivity, love and honesty. "Year Of The Dog", written and directed by Mike White, tells the tale of one woman and her 'pet loss'. Like millions of people, Peggy has found a comfortable niche in which to live. She has a solid administrative job, close family and the dependable companionship of her dog, Pencil. This stable status quo is rocked when Pencil’s sudden death leaves Peggy reeling in a world devoid of meaning without him. "The movie is a lot about obsessive thinking," says 2003 Independent Spirit Award winner Mike White ("The Good Girl"). "I don’t think they are extreme characters, but they're kind of obsessed with where they derive their happiness and where they think Peggy should derive her happiness." Producer Dede Gardner ("A Mighty Heart") says the film "is about how people don’t listen to people and how they get very wrapped up in their own lives, not even in a selfish way, but in a kind of matter of fact way. It’s a real comment on our failings as human beings to listen to other human beings, and suggests that pets are a legitimate source of comfort and companionship." White says the role of Peggy was specifically written for 1998 NBR Award winner Molly Shannon ("Happiness"). "I knew she could do this part, and in a way, she inspired it," says White. "There’s so much to her acting. She is so skilled and specific that it was really fun to watch everyday. She’s obviously an incredibly, funny comedian, but she is also a skilled actress." Known primarily for her six-year comedic stint on "Saturday Night Live", Shannon ("Evan Almighty") earned a BFA in drama from New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. White and Shannon had worked together previously on a short-lived TV series, "Cracking Up". Shannon’s personal take on her character Peggy is that "at the core of everything, she is a really good person, she gets off track a little bit but ultimately sheds the stuff and the people that weren’t working in her life." "I do think there is a child-like quality to Peggy, kind of an innocent in some ways, but I didn’t want to make her seem like an eccentric throwback to a world that time has forgotten," White explained. "I wanted something that was a bit whimsical."

1998 and 2000 FFCC Award winner John C Reilly was cast as Peggy’s neighbour Al, who moves from a sympathetic paramour to the object of her anger. "Mike told me that he thought Al was the most misunderstood character in the movie. He’s just a regular guy, living the sort of mainstream life, but it’s only in contrast with some of the other people and what Molly’s character is going through that he starts to seem weird," Reilly said. As an avid hunter, Al becomes a newfound enemy to the freshly baptized animal activist, Peggy. 2003 Toronto Film Critics Association Award winner Peter Sarsgaard ("Shattered Glass"), who was cast as Newt, nourishes Peggy’s interest in animal activism, but frustrates her hope of any kind of romantic connection. Producer Gardner feels that Peggy and Newt do have something unconventionally romantic because "he represents loving something passionately. He doesn’t try and proselytize about it; he’s just very pure and anchored and she finds that attractive." When Newt offers a new dog to Peggy after Pencil dies, he knows exactly what he is doing. As Sarsgaard explained, "She doesn’t need the perfect dog. She needs a dog that she can try and help, and that will take the focus off of her." 2007 Independent Spirit 'Special Distinction' Award winner Laura Dern was cast as Peggy's sister-in-law Bret. "Once you have kids, your world gets very small because it’s all about protecting your kids and seeing dangers everywhere. Peggy is an audience for all of their enthusiasms and anxieties," says White. "But, when the tables are turned and she’s grappling with the loss of her dog, they’re not able to understand how deep that emotion goes for her. So, in some sense, they disappoint her." "I think it’s a hilarious character because she’s just so absorbed in herself and her children that she can’t see anything else," says Dern. "The level of neurosis is just so fun." 2005 BET Best Actress Award winner Regina King was cast as Peggy's office mate and best pal, Layla. Gardner recalls her casting. "Mike called me and said 'I know this isn’t how we’ve talked about the part, but Regina King should be Layla.' I was 100% onboard. I’d never seen her do this kind of thing." White says King has always been one of his favourite actresses. "Layla is all about relationships, getting a man and getting married," says White. "She assumes that Peggy must have the same obsession." One thing was starting to nag me. Where did the inspiration for the story come from? White revealed it came from a personal experience he had with a cat that lived in his backyard and, died in his arms on Christmas day. "I couldn’t believe how broken up I was over this stray cat," he recalls. "The cat dying coincided with a time when I was extremely overloaded with work and I ended up getting really far behind. My whole life began to spiral out of control, which I thought was an interesting premise for a movie. I thought I could somehow take the experience and turn it into something cathartic for me." And that led to a film? "I always thought it would be interesting to do a movie about animals that was more sophisticated than the typical family film. I wanted to explore adult relationships with animals that blended some of the humour and pathos I like to do in my writing."

"Year Of The Dog" marks White's directorial debut after having made a name for himself as a screenwriter with films like "The School of Rock" (2003) and "Nacho Libre" (2006). "Mike is such an amazing writer and performer and to be working with him on his directorial debut is absolutely thrilling," says Shannon. "There’s nothing like having the writer direct because he has such a clear understanding of the moments." Sarsgaard points out that White’s "interested in this other group of people that get overlooked and you wouldn’t ordinarily see in films." Gardner believes the film "is the epitome of how Mike White thinks. He’s got a very unique perspective on the world. He finds the humour in lots of situations, but he never sees it without the beating heart. He always sees the situation as being enacted by actual people, and he’s never standing in judgment of his characters." White’s career has been on a natural evolution towards directing. "When I first started this journey into directing, I was pretty stressed," he revealled, "but, by the third or fourth day of production, I realized how much fun I was having. You endeavour for many years to have the perfect work experience, and this has been just that." Producer Ben LeClair (associate producer on "Nacho Libre") notes, "this project has so many personal touches to it, it was just an obvious thing for him to do it." White wanted to use the hot, sunny climate of his native southern California, to contrast the deep grief that Peggy experiences. "One thing I find distinctive about a childhood in Southern California is that you have painful moments, and they always seem to fall on the most beautiful sun-dappled days." In fact, most of the filming was done under extreme conditions as Los Angeles experienced one of its worst heat waves in recent history. Those conditions also posed challenges for the animals and their trainers. Ursula Brauner, trainer for the dogs in the film, including the two leads, Pencil and Valentine. "During a scene, we are behind the camera cueing the dog, so it can be distracting," Brauner noted. "It’s a very difficult thing to stay focused in a moment when some crazy trainer’s jumping around behind camera trying to get a look or action." Brauner praises both Shannon and Sarsgaard for their performances in scenes with the animals. "It doesn’t always happen, but we were lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time with Molly and Peter. They both came out to our ranch in Castaic, and spent a lot of time with the dogs." White recalls having animals on the set can be stressful. "Our trainers were so good and all of the dogs were all extremely lovable and professional, but there were definitely moments where it felt a little crazy. When we shot at the animal sanctuary we had pigs, cows, turkeys and chickens combined with little kids and babies who needed to take a nap: all with three cameras and a crane. It definitely got crazy at times." Synopsis

Like millions of people, Peggy has found a comfortable niche in which to live. She has a solid administrative job, close family and the dependable companionship of her dog, Pencil. In fact, Peggy and Pencil are inseparable companions. They sleep together, eat together, and even take-in Friday night movies together. Life is uncomplicated and safe, and although Pencil is a Beagle, Peggy is happily entrenched in a satisfying relationship of co-dependency with her beloved pet. But with love comes loss, and Peggy’s world comes crashing down when Pencil meets a mysterious demise in the neighbour’s yard. Peggy finds herself reeling in a world devoid of meaning without him. Left to pick-up the pieces of her life, Peggy embarks on a personal journey to fill the void. Friends, family and co-workers try to distract Peggy from her misery with their own obsessive quests for happiness, but in the end, she emerges from her loss with a new found sense of her place in the world and what it takes to make her happy.

The Verdict "There's no doubt that this is Molly Shannon's film. It's a joy to watch her at work in this tale of one woman's efforts to move on and find new ground after the death of her much loved pet. While much of the humour is on the 'dark side', there's plenty of appeal with an excellent supporting cast and of course, a hook for animal lovers. White, who wrote the part of Peggy specifically for Shannon, makes a solid directorial debut. Sarsgaard, Reilly and Dern are always a pleasure to watch. A quirky, yet very affecting film that many will find just dog-gone delightful. Highly Recommended. 4 STARS." Who's Who?

Molly Shannon
Laura Dern
Regina King
Thomas McCarthy
Josh Pais
John C Reilly
Peter Sarsgaard
Amy Schlagel
Zoe Schlagel
Dale Godboldo
Inara George
Liza Weil
Jon Shere
Christy Lynn Moore
Audrey Wasilewski
Brenda Canela
Craig Cackowski
Steve Berg
Susan Mackin
Chuck Duffy
Sonya Eddy
Ursula Brauner
Giddle Partridge
Benjamin Koesling
Dominik Koesling
Jimmy the Dog

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Peggy
Bret
Layla
Pier
Robin
Al
Newt
Lissie
Lissie
Don
Holly
Trishelle
Pound Employee
Al’s Girlfriend
Audrey
Brenda
Craig
Steve
Susan
CJeff
Nurse
Dog Owner
Blond Floozie
Benjy
Benjy
Dog