Apr 17, 2018
Today’s movie is “Sun Dogs” (2017), the Netflix original comedy directed by Jennifer Morrison and written for the screen by Anthony Tambakis under the pseudonym Raoul McFarland. The film follows Ned Chipley (Michael Angarano), an intellectually disabled young man who wants to assist the country in rooting out Al Qaeda on the homefront, aided by a runaway named Tally Peterson (Melissa Benoist).
Spoilers ahead.
This film takes a lot of risks with the story involving an intellectually disabled character, no matter how high-functioning. Even more risk when Ned is tricked into believing he is part of a counter-terrorism force by Master Sergeant Jenkins (Xzibit), and begins stalking a casino owner because he looks like a terrorist on a deck of cards. Overlay that with a potentially subversive look at the so-called War on Terror, and those who unflinchingly support it, and we’re walking a dangerous tightrope.
With the story being what it is, Jennifer Morrison brings it to life, with the use of nice colors and filters and incredibly detailed sets. I dug the use of typed notecards to separate the scenes, and the jump cuts weren’t too intrusive, most of the time. Some scenes were a bit overused, particularly the trips to and from the Marine recruiter, but overall, a solid production.
The supporting cast really put in great performances. Benoist plays an odd character given her ongoing role as Supergirl on the CW. Ned’s mother, Rose (Allison Janney) has an enigmatic character, while her live-in boyfriend Bob (Ed O’Neill) is a somewhat conniving, somewhat protective guardian figure for Ned. The only performance I have troubles with is Angarano’s, mostly because I don’t feel qualified to judge the performance as tasteful or realistic, a judgment call that will have to be made by the intellectually disabled community and their advocates.
“Sun Dogs” (2017) is a quirky independent dramedy that deals with some risky subject material and themes. I felt the ending ultimately redeems the film, but still leaves a lot of room for debate. Tambakis and Morrison put together a solid film, though, barring any major complaints from the non-neurotypical community. Viewers who enjoy independent dramas should enjoy this film.
Rotten Tomatoes: NR
Metacritic: NR
One Movie Punch: 6.8/10
“Sun Dogs” (2017) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.