It’s no accident that I was given the opportunity to watch and review this film for Cinemacy, given my longstanding preference, ok obsession with, pugs. And true to form, within the first few minutes, I was captivated by this adorable and talented four-legged performer.

Pug Love

If you have a passion for dogs, and specifically for this breed, then you will likely be entertained by writer/director Mandie Fletcher’s new film Patrick, which tells the story of a mischievous but endearing pug who is bequeathed to his elderly owner’s granddaughter, Sarah Francis (Beattie Edmondson) upon her sudden death and then proceeds to turn her life upside-down.   

To call this film predictable is an understatement, nothing is left to the imagination- including the camera tilting up to the clouds when granny collapses on the street as if the funeral shot in the next scene wasn’t obvious enough. From the opening scene, it’s clear that Sarah’s life is filled with disappointment and inheriting Patrick the Pug only adds to her unfortunate circumstances. But the difficulties she encounters, such as risking eviction as well as her job as an English teacher, are soon outweighed by Patrick’s ability to bring some good fortune into her life.

Cute, but one-dimensional

His ability to orchestrate connections with attractive bachelors is reminiscent of a scene from 101 Dalmatians when Patrick’s leash intertwines with a handsome stranger’s. While cute, it’s moments like this that make it hard to take the characters seriously.  All of the characters in this “light-hearted” family fun film are one dimensional, from Sarah’s condescending parents who clearly prioritize their older daughter, to the uber-handsome but self-absorbed veterinarian (Ed Skrein). There’s the dependable dog park guy, Ben (Tom Bennett) the teary, angst-filled high school student, Becky (Emily Atack), and the difficult to please headmaster, Mr. Peters (Adrian Scarborough), among others. Even Sarah Francis’ endearing qualities are overshadowed by a lack of coordination that was enough to make me feel a bit uncomfortable when watching.

Boy-gets-girl-plus-dog

With a formula similar to that of a Hallmark Movie, it’s pretty clear that Patrick is destined to end in a happily ever after boy-gets-girl-plus-dog sort of way, I still couldn’t help but smile during many scenes. Patrick’s naturally expressive faces make him quite the entertainer, not to mention all the fun location shots around London’s landmarks.  

Overall, Patrick is a fun family watch if you don’t have high expectations for acting depth and storyline, and just allow yourself to be entertained by one extremely captivating dog and his ensemble cast.

Patrick is 94 minutes. Opening in select theaters and VOD this Friday.