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You know what they say about old dogs? Well, that old saying certainly seems to hold true for Robin Williams and John Travolta in director Walt Becker’s Old Dogs. But sometimes—especially when it comes to family comedies—it seems that the old tricks are still good for a laugh or two.
Sports marketers Charlie (Travolta) and Dan (Williams) have been business partners for 30 years—and best friends for even longer. Through the years, they’ve handled everything together—from sales pitches to Dan’s divorce. And now, after years of hard work, they’re about to close a huge business deal. Just a couple more weeks, and they’ll be in the clear.
The last thing that Charlie and Dan need right now is a distraction—or, worse yet, a pair of seven-year-old distractions. But that’s exactly what they get when Dan’s old flame, Vicki (Kelly Preston), shows up with Zach (Conner Rayburn) and Emily (Ella Bleu Travolta), the twins that Dan never even knew he had.
Vicki is about to start a two-week stint in the slammer, and after an accident puts Vicki’s cross-eyed hand model friend, Jenna (Rita Wilson), out of commission, Dan offers to help. But being a dad isn’t as easy as it looks—and it could just cost Dan and Charlie the biggest deal of their lives.
With its random, rambling story and its overabundance of cheap laughs, Old Dogs is exactly what you’d expect from a family comedy by the guy who directed Wild Hogs. It’s brainless and boilerplate—but, if you’re in that brainless comedy kind of mood, it’s at least mildly entertaining.
Still, Old Dogs doesn’t really tell a story as much as it presents a series of random scenarios, which may or may not be funny. The setup seems completely unimportant (and even irrelevant), and the rest of the movie is just a series of unrelated silliness. Dan, Charlie, and the kids go to Pioneer Camp. They go out for breakfast, where the guys are bombarded by embarrassing grandparent gags. Dan hires some wise-cracking baby-proofers (played by Dax Shepard and Luis Guzmán) to make Charlie’s apartment safe for the kids. And Zach and Emily accidentally switch the guys’ medications, with crazy side effects. Very few of the scenes have anything to do with any of the other scenes—and they have even less to do with any kind of plot. They’re just random and silly filled with the kind of slapstick wackiness that will make kids laugh. But, in movies like this one, I guess that’s all that matters.
Really, the best thing about Old Dogs is its cameos. It’s a who’s who of Hollywood funny people—from Justin Long to Amy Sedaris to Bernie Mac. Unfortunately, many of them are shamefully underused. Even Seth Green, who plays Dan and Charlie’s eager staffer, Ralph, is reduced to little more than one-liners and a few short flashes of comedy.
Of course, if you’re in the mood for a little brainless humor, Old Dogs will at least keep your family entertained for a while. Williams and Travolta have no qualms about making complete fools of themselves—and kids will get plenty of laughs out of their shameless silliness. After a long day of mall madness (or a little too much family togetherness), its lowbrow laughs might be just what the doctor ordered. Just don’t expect any new comedic tricks from these Old Dogs.
Blu-ray Review:
The Blu-ray release of this kooky family comedy comes in a three-disc combo pack, which includes three different versions: Blu-ray, DVD, and digital.
The Blu-ray disc includes a handful of short features—many of which are included on the DVD, too. Both versions include a music video for “Every Little Step” (yep—a remake of the Bobby Brown song) by John Travolta and his daughter (and co-star), Ella Bleu. It’s pretty silly, but kids will enjoy it—and grown-ups who remember the original will get a good laugh out of it, too. There’s also an entertaining blooper reel, as well as three deleted scenes.
Both discs also feature a commentary track, which seems rather unnecessary on a family movie—and it seems even more unnecessary once you listen to it for a while and discover that director Walt Becker, producer Andrew Panay, and writers David Diamond and David Weissman don’t really have much to say.
Blu-ray exclusives include Young Dogs Learn Old Tricks, a cute little feature that shows Conner Rayburn and Ella Bleu Travolta interviewing their older co-stars about their favorite scenes in the movie. The disc also features an additional music video—for “You’ve Been a Friend to Me” by Bryan Adams, which plays under the opening credits montage. The black-and-white video doesn’t have a whole lot to do with the movie itself, but it’s a pretty good song, and it’s worth checking out. So after you watch the movie with the kids, take a few minutes to browse through some of the extras, too.
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