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Anyone who’s ever had a four-legged friend knows what an important role an animal can play in the lives of its human companions. More than just a pet, that animal becomes a friend, a confidant…a part of the family. After all, those relationships are often much simpler than our human ones, which can get messy and complicated—like the ones in writer/director Lawrence Kasdan’s Darling Companion.
When Beth Winter (Diane Keaton) and her daughter, Grace (Elizabeth Moss), rescue a stray dog from the side of the highway, both end up finding love. Beth falls in love with the homeless mutt, whom she names Freeway, while Grace falls in love with Sam Bhoola (Jay Ali), the vet who helps nurse Freeway back to health. And though Beth’s husband, Joseph (Kevin Kline), isn’t quite as smitten by their new pet, he has no choice but to welcome him into the family.
A year later, when the family gathers at the Winters’ vacation home in the mountains for Grace and Sam’s wedding, Freeway takes part in the ceremony. After the bride and groom head off on their honeymoon, though, the dog goes missing. Devastated by the loss, Beth gathers her remaining family members together to hunt for her missing pet—and, during their search, they all end up learning a few lessons about love and family.
Though it may seem like a movie about people’s attachment to their pets, Darling Companion really has very little to do with the dog—and a whole lot to do with the family’s messy human relationships. Keaton is as adorably flighty as ever as emotional empty-nester Beth, who struggles with her relationship with her distant, driven husband. Kline, on the other hand, is delightfully irritable as Joseph, a successful surgeon who seems to connect more with his patients than with his own family. The character just doesn’t understand his wife’s attachment to the dog—or her emotional responses to anything, for that matter.
At the same time, other relationships struggle, fade, and grow as Joseph’s nephew, Bryan (played by the awkward but lovably scruffy Mark Duplass), pursues the home’s eccentric caretaker, Carmen (Ayelet Zurer), while trying to avoid his mom (Dianne Wiest) and her tirelessly (and often hilariously) upbeat new boyfriend, Russell (Richard Jenkins).
Really, although the story is undeniably predictable and the search for Freeway goes on a little longer than necessary, the cast makes the film enjoyable—their heartwarming moments and light, easy-going comedy alike creating the kind of sweet, feel-good film that’s sure to keep a smile on your face from beginning to end.
With its endearingly comical cast and its gorgeous mountain setting, Darling Companion is a charming, grown-up comedy. It isn’t wild and outrageous or powerfully dramatic; it’s just a light and laid-back way to spend a couple of hours of your time. And, in the process, it might just remind you to take some time to appreciate the ones you love—whether they have four legs or just two.
